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JOHANNESBURG. — Patrice Motsepe’s path to the CAF presidency appears to have become smoother after it emerged his main rivals for the seat have been convinced to withdraw from the race and serve under him.
Insiders told TimesLIVE FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, brokered a deal that could see Senegal’s Augustin Senghor and Mauritania’s Ahmad Yahya take up the first and second vice-president seats at the CAF elective congress in Rabat‚ Morocco‚ on March 12.
The insiders said Motsepe travelled to Morocco at the weekend to conclude the ground-breaking deal with Senghor and Yahya.
“Senghor‚ Motsepe and Yahya are in Morocco. They have been in Morocco since this weekend‚” an insider said.
“The CAF presidential candidates have reached an agreement and his [Motsepe’s] competitors will be his first and second vice-presidents.
“Motsepe is in Morocco concluding it.”
The deal will complete an amazing journey for the Mamelodi Sundowns boss, as few gave him a chance, when he embarked on the journey to assume the most powerful football seat on the continent last year.
Motsepe appears to have found a magic formula that is largely backed by Infantino’s influence.
The mining magnate presented his 10-point action plan, last week, at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, and spelt out his determination to succeed Ahmad Ahmad‚ who has courted controversy, for most of his time at the helm.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport dramatically reinstated Ahmad, as president of CAF temporarily in January, pending an appeal against a five-year ban from the sport.
Ahmad’s appeal hearing started being heard yesterday, 10 days before the CAF presidential election.
Motsepe said he has found that football is a lot more tricky, than the business world, he has been a part of for a number of years.
“I know in business there is a lot of misinformation‚ but I am learning that, maybe football, takes the cup when it comes to misinformation‚” he said.
SAFA president, Danny Jordaan‚ COSAFA boss, Philip Chiyangwa‚ South Africa Sports Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, and Premier Soccer League chairman, Irvin Khoza, were panellists in the launch of Motsepe’s plan.
Influential Nigerian FA head, Amaju Pinnick‚ TP Mazembe owner Moise Katumbi‚ and Southern African FA heads, who have supported Motsepe’s campaign, attended the function. — TimesLive.
Online Reporter