World soccer governing body FIFA has partnered the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the African Union (AU) in the quest to clean the African game. African football has in recent years been blighted by controversy that range from bribery to mal administration. But the problems of graft also saw the change in top leadership at FIFA and UEFA and followsed through into the regional and country associations.
Last year saw former CAF vice-president, Ghanaian Kwesi Nyantakyi being banned from soccer activities. This year has also witnessed CAF Executive Committee member Musa Bility accusing the president of the continental football governing body Ahmad Ahmad who hails from a non African soccer powerhouse country of running down the sport in Africa.
But FIFA president Gianni Infantino has joined hands with CAF and the AU by signing a memorandum of agreement (Mou) in a bid to what was termed as ‘cleansing African football’. “The MoU, signed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki and Confederation of African Football president Ahmad Ahmad will see FIFA, the AU and CAF implement common strategies and programmes with a focus on the areas of education, good governance and the fight against corruption, as well as safety and security at football matches,” said CAF in a statement seen by the Zambian Businesss Times – ZBT.
There has also been controversy on the Africa Cup of Nations hosting rights for the 2021 and 2023 editions. With FIFA president pledging to help clean African football, CAF have already confirmed support for Infantino to serve another term at the helm of FIFA. However, even the European game was mired in the same controversy as the head of FIFA, Sepp Blatter was ousted on allegations of graft. The in line to succeed Blatter, Frenchman Michell Platini was also passed over and removed on similar charges.
Just last month, on February 27, 2019, FIFA banned for life former Zambia Football Association former treasurer and later Vice President, Boniface Mwamelo, who later confirmed he intends to appeal his life ban imposed by FIFA. He was adjudicated as guilty of “having accepted bribes in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Mwamelo was also fined $10,015. FIFA stated that Mwamelo is banned from all football-related activities following an investigation which started in October 2017.
The probe surrounded the participation of Zambia’s Under 23 team at an international tournament in July 2010, with Mwamelo accused of collaborating with the convicted Singaporean match fixer Raj Perumal. Mwamelo, who confirmed receipt of FIFA’s decision, denies any wrongdoing. “I am glad it is an appealable case, I will do everything within my means to clear my name,” said Mwamelo in a statement.
However, soccer analysts and fans accross Africa have accused local football admistration rivals of using FIFA to settle their local political scores. What one should think of is that all these associations have disciplinary committees, why is it that all decision are comming from FIFA? If indeed these allegations hold water, the bans would have started from the local associations disciplinary committees. It’s actually an indictment on the local and country committees charged with this responsibility to wait for FIFA, when this very evidence they are sending is generated locally.
