Go in, Ahmad, and lift the Caf veil of secrecy
THIS columnist cautiously welcomed Ahmad Ahmad’s elevation to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) presidency.
In the reincarnation of the David versus Goliath story from the holy herb, I mean book, the 34-20 victory of the little-known man from Madagascar pulled the rug from under the feet of Issa Hayatou.
Ahmad’s shock success freed African football from the 28-year iron grip of the Grim Reaper himself. Hallelujah!
The general consensus among the majority on the continent is that five words capture the defeat of the Cameroonian: good riddance to bad rubbish. My reason to curb the enthusiasm to celebrate Ahmad’s entry to office is valid. Many a time a change of leadership only finds the successor doing worse things than his predecessor.
A scene from the motion picture Last King of Scotland comes to mind. Celebrations and ululations greeted the fall of Idi Amin.
The cheers of those who celebrated Amin’s fall at the top of their voices when he went became tears as there was little change after he was gone.
Anyhow, Ahmad is in Johannesburg for a celebratory gathering with Council of Southern African Football Associations’ presidents who played a pivotal role in his rise to power. For the first time, Ahmad spoke something of substance which left the air pregnant with promise and cast him in the role of prospective Papa Action. Now that he has perused some documents and sunk his teeth into their details, Ahmad has sprung into action.
He has instructed technical experts to investigate a controversial contract signed by his predecessor that sold off the body’s global television rights to French company Lagardère Sports for 12 years.
Amen Ahmad. Go in, dig deep. Leave no stone unturned. Recover every euro, dollar and pound that may have enriched Hayatou and his acolytes at the expense of African football. If any evidence of wrongdoing emerges, he must face the full might of the law. Lagardère manages the sale of marketing and media rights as well as provides television production services for the Caf African Nations Championship, Super Cup, Champions League, Confederation Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations, as well as managing the distribution of media rights and providing television production services for the Russia 2018 World Cup African qualifiers. Jerrr.
Which deranged Einstein in his warped wisdom signs off a contract stretching 12 years selling Caf’s worldwide rights from 2017 to 2028 for $1 billion (R13.7 billon)? You must be joking! That’s a bloody pittance!! Gerrara here!!!
Global television rights are worth more than gold. They are platinum. This is where football in this particular instance, and sport in general, make their money. In a single stroke of a pen, all premier Caf competitions became the property of French monopoly capital.
This deal is controversial because controversy precedes Hayatou. In fact, he and controversy are tighter than tongue and saliva and as inseparable as bum cheeks.
Ahmad is soft-spoken but he must be a hard hitter. He must not talk left and act right. So far he is not mincing his words in his bid to lift the veil of secrecy in Caf dealings. Transparency punctuates his speeches. He must show himself not to be Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s little poodle.
Ahmad must prove his bite is worse than his bark so that those who are cautious can celebrate ascendancy to the African football throne with a bit more enthusiasm.