New Caf president Ahmad tells Southern Africa he is a 'Cosafa member first'

New Confederation of African Football president Ahmad Ahmad told his old region in Johannesburg this week that he remains “a Cosafa member first”.

Former Madagascar sports minister Ahmad shocked 28-year Caf president Issa Hayatou in last month’s elections in Ethiopia.

Cosafa – the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations – had a major influence in Ahmad’s victory‚ voting as a block of all 14.

New Cosafa president Phillip Chiyangwa‚ who had ousted Hayatou ally Suketu Patel at the region’s congress at Sun City in December‚ acted as Ahmad’s campaign manager securing votes from regions outside Southern Africa.

Ahmad attended a Cosafa meeting in Johannesburg this week where the region discussed issues such as Caf’s allocation of tournaments – five Africa Cup of Nations‚ from 2015 to 2023‚ have been awarded to countries in West Africa.

“I’m here just to see all my colleagues from Cosafa. As you know we started this change for Cosafa‚ from Sun City‚” Ahmad said.

“And from there we prepared to take this power in the African confederation‚ to bring it to the South.

“Now we have reached this target and it’s logic to come back here to thank my colleagues‚ and to discuss with them how to manage Caf now.

“Of course I have a programme. But the manifesto is not enough.

“And I’m here to assure my colleagues that I am president of Caf‚ but I am a Cosafa member first. And I trust them to help me with this challenge.”

Ahmad beat 70-year-old Cameroonian Hayatou by 34 votes to 20 at Caf’s congress in Addis Ababa on March 16.