Foot politics
By: Abdelghani Youmni
Tags: Leadership, Africa, Football, Caf, Corruption

The power game over wining the Confederation of African Football

The African continent is changing, shaped by five megatrends, demographic ‘’Bomb’’, digital revolution, rejection of politicians, and an open war of radical Islam.

At the same time, we are witnessing futile and uninteresting battles for African football leadership. These struggles are the work of some national federations that seek to keep the lead.

Face-to-face we find clean hands supporters campaign and those who have poisoned the CAF for more than forty years with rigged matches, corrupt or threatened referees and control of key positions.

I think that some federations of football like Tunisian and Egyptian use football as opium of their people and tools of political propaganda. This is unacceptable when we know that we need development and reform instead, and that African people want leaders who build bridges of cultural, economic, social, and technological continental cooperation.

Recently, the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football in Paris decided to replay the return match on neutral ground of the final of Africa Champions’ League because the referee Gassama had refused a real goal on the basis of a false out of game. This decision has been made by the demand of the Moroccan club WAC who asked for the VAR in the name of equal opportunities for both clubs and in both round trip matches.

The VAR system was not working, yet the VAR screens were on the ground, odious imposture because apparently the equipment remained blocked at the Tunisian border for customs verification. Hence and after a delay of almost two hours the match was awarded to the home side Esperance Tunisian club that was handed the trophy and medals. Therefore the Tunisians must return the awards to the CAF. Absurdly and in a Kafkaian climate, Tunisian politicians forced the president of the African Football Confederation to declare their club the winner in order to avoid any trouble that may be done by fans of both clubs.

And as a misfortune never comes alone, in addition of the controversial champions’ league final, the CAF president Ahmad Ahmad was arrested in France and accused of corruption: he had made a rupture of contract with the German sport equipment manufacturer Puma in favor of a French firm. Too much of coincidence that this man , guilty or innocent, has been arrested at the FIFA Congress and just few hours after announcing a replay of the CAF champions’ league final.

Nevertheless in Tunisia and in Egypt the social revolution has failed and the economic transition is slow in coming. Also in Morocco, and despite the advances in infrastructures and industrials offshoring, the sustainable economic model is awaiting for political wiliness and leadership. But on the whole the winning power soft power and Morocco's commitment by far the most exemplary in Africa.

I concede that football is a powerful and popular sport that brings a lot of joy to the people but also it is used as a drug for the youth with stimulating effect of forgetting their miserable reality. The youth unemployment rate is exceptionally high in our African countries because of the lack of education and skills.