The Sunday Mail
NEWLY elected Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has vowed to try to bridge the gap between member states in hopes of creating a new image for the association.
Motsepe, who becomes the seventh person to occupy the position of CAF President, yesterday began his four-year term after being elected unopposed by the member associations at CAF General Assembly in Morocco.
Going to the General Assembly, Africa adopted a unity stance which saw other three candidates, namely Augustin Senghor, Ahmed Yahya and Jacques Anouma withdraw from the race to be president.
Dr. Motsepe (59) is an accomplished South African businessman and philanthropist and no stranger to football.
For almost two decades, he has been the president of a South African club, Mamelodi Sundowns.
In his first address as CAF President, Dr Motsepe spoke about creating a new CAF that will take African football to new heights.
“I’m very excited,” said Motsepe.
“There is a great deal of urgency of getting things done and, going forward, there is a going to be a lot of work and a lot of running.
“We have to make sure that African football is not just competitive but globally successful.
“Africa spends millions of dollars every year paying for television rights of leagues outside Africa.
“There is a need to build our own products and we will succeed.
“The face of African football will never be the same again.
“Roughly 95 percent of our conversations will be about football, and that is fine but there must be that 5 percent where we discuss the importance of the private sector partnerships.
“We need to restore the pride, the dignity and the respect of Africa,” said Dr Motsepe.
Dr Motsepe has committed to visiting each of the 54-member associates of CAF as part of a plan to understand the problems facing each member and to assist in creating better relations with the corporate world.
The supreme body of CAF approved important decisions:
The activity report and financial statements as of June 30, 2020, as well as the budget for 2021-2022 estimated at US$118 million, of which US$97 million will be devoted to football development.
The increase in the number of Vice-Presidents from three to five in order to ensure better representation of all the components of CAF within the Bureau of the Executive Committee.
Better precision in the limits of the exercise of eligibility control by the governance committee of CAF, in particular for the President and members of the FIFA Council.
The modification of the conditions of admission to the quality of members of the organisation. — CAFonline.
