Ahmad’s admin takes off

ADDIS ABABA. — Nearly four months after the seismic Confederation of African Football elections in Ethiopia, Ahmad Ahmad’s new administration, which had been idling on the runway, is finally taking off.

On Monday, crucial appointments were made into the executive committee in addition to the key leadership positions at committee level.

Most of these positions were already decided on the night of the election victory, following a marathon meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa, and these appointments were formalised in Manana, Bahrain, on the eve of the 67th FIFA Congress.

What are the key consequences of Ahmad’s new appointments, and what did Monday’s congress teach us about the broader visions of CAF’s new regime?

There is little secret as to who the movers and drivers of Ahmad’s campaign were. Amaju Pinnick of Nigeria and Philip Chiyangwa of Zimbabwe were the public and aggressive faces respectively.

South Africa’s Danny Jordaan worked hand in glove with Chiyangwa to deliver a unanimous COSAFA vote which galvanised many of the rest on the continent, while Ghana’s Kwesi Nyantakyi was a silent force, whipping up support especially on the west African axis, along with Sierra Leone’s Isha Johansen, a close ally of Pinnick.

Congo’s Constant Omari, a long-time force on the Issa Hayatou camp, flipped places to join the Ahmad train, and brought significant votes along with him. All have been rewarded with plum positions.

Nyantakyi is now first vice-president of CAF and Omari is second vice-president. Pinnick, a member of FIFA’s powerful Organising Committee, angled for and got the chairmanship of the Nations Cup Organising Committee in addition to heading the Media Committee.

Chiyangwa, who is not a member of the CAF Exco, is vice-chairman.

Jordaan headed the 2010 World Cup Organising Committee but saw himself frozen out by the previous administration. He now heads up the Marketing and TV Committee, as well as being vice-chairman of the Club Licensing Committee.

Johansen was appointed chairperson of the Women’s Football Committee and vice-chair of the FairPlay and CAF Social Responsibilities Committee. — ESPN