South African businessman Patrice Motsepe will be elected unopposed on Friday to become the new President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for a four-year term.
The billionaire owner of South African side Mamelodi Sundowns will be elected by acclamation by African federation heads at a meeting in the Moroccan capital Rabat.
Members of the 54 African football federations will approve Motsepe as he is the sole candidate standing for the election to become the head of Africa’s football governing body.
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The final hurdle to the billionaire’s ascension to the throne was cleared on Monday when the likely contestant Ahmad Ahmad was ruled out of the race by a decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
CAS reduced a five-year ban placed on Ahmad by FIFA to two years which means the Malagasy will not be able to contest for the election which takes place on Friday.
Ahmad, who was the President of the confederation, was hoping for a favourable decision to clear him to face Motsepe and even though the ban was reduced to two years, he won’t be able to contest for the position.
This means Motsepe will be the sole candidate after all the three contestants in the race – Jacques Anouma, Augustin Senghor and Ahmed Yahya – withdrew to back the South African businessman.
“African football needs collective wisdom, but also the exceptional talent and wisdom of every president of every country and every member association,” Motsepe said on Saturday when the three candidates withdrew to back him.
“That’s what gives me confidence.
“When we all work together with the experience, talent, and passion, football in Africa will experience success and growth that it hasn’t experienced in the past. It requires all of us.”
Motsepe has already secured the backing of all the federations who will now just rubberstamp him as their new leader.
