3 members pull out of race for African representative on FIFA Council

Three members have pulled out of the race to represent Africa in the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) Council.

In a statement by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to member associations on Tuesday, South African FA president Daniel Alexander Jordan together with Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia) and Chabur Goc Alei (South Sudan) have had their nominations withdrawn by the respective member associations.

The letter that Xinhua saw at the Uganda FA signed by CAF general secretary, Hicham El Amrani and copied to executive committee members of CAF, FIFA and CAF zonal unions also mentioned the members who are eligible to stand for FIFA Council positions after eligibility checks.

Ahead of the CAF Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on March 16, the CAF letter said, "Following the communication sent by FIFA yesterday March 6, please note that the FIFA governance committee in conformity with article 27-5 d of the governance regulations, and following the eligibility checks conducted, confirmed the eligibility of the following candidates; Issa Hayatou, Ahmad Ahamd, Cosntant Omari Selemani, Lydia Nsekera, Kwesi Nyatakyi, Leodegar Tenga, Almamy Kabele Camara, Hany Abo Rida, Tarek Bouchamaoui and Augustin Sidy Diallo.

Tanzania's Leodegar Tenga, long serving president of Cecafa will now battle for the Anglophone category representative slot with Ghana's FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi. With the withdrawal of Chabur and Jordan, Almary Kabele Camara and Lydia Nsekera are already through. But CAF will have to decide on how they will fill the third slot. Uganda's FA president Moses Magogo is also contesting to be a CAF executive member.

Africa has seven places on the FIFA Council, which has been renamed and expanded since Gianni Infantino came to power one year ago.

Source: Xinhua