Hayatou re-elected, Diakite back on CAF committee

 

Previously banned FIFA executive member Amadou Diakite returned to football administration in a resounding poll triumph at Sunday’s Confederation of African Football Congress less than three years after being found guilty of bribery.

CAF president Issa Hayatou was re-elected unopposed, extending to almost three decades his tenure in charge of African football, but South African Danny Jordaan, who built up a strong international profile after organising the last World Cup, failed again to get a place on the CAF executive committee.

The hotly-contested elections at the end of the congress in Morocco contrasted with the re-election of Hayatou, who was given a warm acclamation after being returned unopposed.

Diakite of Mali was banned for two years in November 2010 by FIFA after allegations of bribery in the vote-buying scandal surrounding the bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

However, his tarnished reputation did not seem to bother the CAF electorate who returned him to their executive committee with an overwhelming majority.

He was one of five incumbents who kept their places on the committee, including CAF vice president Suketu Patel of the Seychelles who retain his seat from the southern African zone.

The other seat from the region was won by Madagascar’s Ahmad, who uses only one name, in a run off with Jordaan.

Neither garnered the requisite majority in the first poll but Ahmad won the run off 27 to 21, officials said.

Jordaan is credited with ensuring a first ever World Cup hosted in Africa after years of lobbying but found again his credentials on the continent lacked the lustre they enjoy further afield.

The other newcomer is Moucharafou Anjorin of Benin, who beat off the Nigerian Football Federation president Aminu Maigari in a run off for one of the west African berths.

He was arrested two years ago on allegations of embezzling sponsorship money and spent more than six months in jail.

CAF said they would hold their next congress in Brazil on the eve of the 2014 World Cup but there are no elections due again until 2015.