Chronic. All the arguments which explained and justified the organization of the CAN in July, preferably in January, have just been swept away by a series of reasons which denote above all the inconsistency and the lightness of those responsible for driving African football.
That Egypt, the last organizer of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), in July 2019, and Cameroon, in principle the next, have very different climatic characteristics, okay. Let there be a problem of territoriality, so be it! But nothing new under the sun. These arguments have existed since 1957, the year of the first edition of the CAN.
In addition, French football – the main supplier at the time of African players playing in Europe – and its African counterpart had with good intelligence retained the start of the year, that is to say the month of January, for the development of the biggest African competition which, until then, was held in March. This allowed both to preserve their interests.
Change of course with the arrival of a new president at the head of the African Football Confederation (CAF). Ahmad Ahmad, the newly elected official, took care to stage well and change the orchestration. No doubt he said that Africa, which will now have twenty-four qualified teams – too bad for the nonexistent infrastructure on the continent -, would benefit from organizing its final phase in summer. Each nation could thus call upon its professionals, which is the promise of a quality game.
Africa has yet to submit
To justify his spectacular turnaround, he relies on a key word: flexibility. Coming back in winter, he claims, is being flexible. In truth, it is silent about the fact that since the installation of Mme Fatma Samoura at the Cairo headquarters, an installation decided upon by FIFA, the management of CAF is dependent on the will of the international federation and its president Gianni Infantino, the latter being very involved in the election of Ahmad. Their 'Recommendations' naturally became orders.
And CAF, whose coffers are empty and in need of continuous bailout, is now forced and forced to obey the finger and the eye to what the world institution dictates to it. However, we know that FIFA has set up a new competition scheduled precisely in June, the Club World Cup, which will host twenty-four opponents and no longer eight as it has been the case so far. No question of telescoping between the CAN and this new look competition.
Once again, Africa must submit. Like the entire executive committee in front of its president, who collects blunders like other toy soldiers. An executive committee composed mainly of timid minds, inclined to flattery, especially zealous to advocate an upward revision of financial compensation doubled since the advent of the Malagasy leader. The inconceivable weakness of the administration of the CAF calls for measures of reorganization and the arrival at its head of a strong man, of a true character let us say it, of a boss able to rally all those who want really work for the development of African football.
Pope Diouf was president of Olympique de Marseille from 2005 to 2009.
