Patrice Motsepe in reconquest mode. While African football is still mired in crisis after the announcement of the appeal jury of the African Confederation to strip Senegal of its victory during the last CAN, the president of the institution was visiting Dakar on Wednesday. He announced reforms for a more “respected” continental football and rid of “all the problems” likely to taint its fairness. Just that.
“The main reason for my coming to Senegal is to express my commitment to collaborate with Senegalese leaders for the development of African football,” declared Patrice Motsepe during a press conference, held at the end of the day after a visit to the island of Gorée in the company of the president of the Senegalese Federation Abdoulaye Fall and an interview with the head of state, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
“We are aware that it has happened that decisions taken have not been in everyone’s opinion. This is why we are trying to initiate reforms which will allow us to avoid all these types of situations in the future and to promote African football free of all these problems which can taint its fairness,” continued the South African leader.
Motsepe said he was confident that “at the end of all this, the 54 member countries of CAF will emerge more united and that African football will be more competitive and respected all over the world”. But he never went into the detail of all these reforms, we can fear that this will remain at the stage of the announcement effect.
Our file on the African Cup
While waiting to know a little more, everyone is hanging on the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seized by the Senegalese Football Federation to contest the 3-0 defeat on the green carpet of the national team during the famous final against Morocco. No date has yet been set for this procedure. “Whatever decision the CAS takes, we will respect it,” reaffirmed Patrice Motsepe.
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