Ahmad Ahmad was relatively unknown by majority of soccer loving Africans prior to declaring his ambition to contest for the CAF presidency.
But he has suddenly become one of the most influential persons on the continent after beating incumbent Issa Hayatou to the seat on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Here are the things you need to know about the man who is the new face of African football.
Where is he from?
Ahmad is from small island nation, Madagascar, which has never hosted nor qualified for any football tournament.
How old is he?
He is 57-years-old, 13 years younger than his predecessor, Hayatou.
Is he new to football administration?
No. In fact, Ahmad has been his country’s FA boss for some time now.
Any previous experience on the continent?
Yes. Ahmad has been representing the south zone in the executive committee of CAF since 2013.
What about other political appointments?
Certainly. Ahmad was one-time a member of the parliament and also an ex-minister of sports in his country.
When and how did he declare to run?
He announced his candidature on January 13 in Libreville, Gabon, few hours before CAF’s executive committee withdrew his country from hosting the U-17 AFCON.
How did Hayatou’s camp react?
The move was interpreted by Hayatou critics as intimidation tactics towards his challenger.
What is his mission at CAF?
Ahmad promised during his campaign to reform the administration and bring change to the way football is run on the continent.
Is he clean from corruption?
No. He was one-time cited by London based, Sunday Times, for alleged corruption in the award of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. Ahmad was accused without proof of benefiting between 30, 000 to 100, 000 dollars in exchange for his vote for Qatar.
