African FIFA apparatchiks block CAF reform proposal from being circulated to member associations

By Paul Nicholson

August 3 - A reform proposal submitted by the Zambian federation for the restructuring of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in order to make it both more representative of African nations and to save costs of at least $25m appears to have been thrown into the tall grass by CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba (pictured).

The proposal was submitted by the Zambians on May 12 for discussion at the CAF Congress to be held on August 10 in Arusha, Tanzania. So far, the response from the FIFA-controlled CAF executive has been to brush it under the lumpiest rug in world football. It was not distributed to CAF members.

This prompted Zambians to protest to CAF President Patrice Motsepe on July 25 that Veron had failed to circulate the proposal to African member countries and that "the CAF secretariat had overstepped mandate by excluding our proposal".

Motsepe, who has often flimsily denied that he was just a FIFA replacement for his manipulation of CAF, did not respond to the Zambian protest, presumably once again taking his advance on Veron. Above all, the Zambian letter stresses that "we have not requested the modification of any specific article of the statutes".

All of this paints a picture of a CAF leadership that dominates its members not only through the selective use of its administrative power, but also through the stifling of open debate and other thought leadership that does not come too often from within. selfish circles.

The Zambians, in their letter to Motsepe, argue that "the basis of our submission is primarily about fairness in representation in FIFA, CAF and CAF sub-committees, as well as savings that would accrue to CAF given the current difficult financial situation if the members consider the proposal."Equity in representation" is the key and haunting phrase here.

But as always, in African football and FIFA politics, the question of money is at the heart of our concerns.

With CAF desperate for cash following FIFA's disastrous commercial takeover of confederation activities, Zambia's proposal suggests restructuring CAF's executive committee from an unwieldy body from 22 members to 12 elected members.

The proposal stated that it would save, on current spending levels, at least $6.5 million per year in expenses and allowances for exco members, at a time when the development of the football and national associations on the African continent need all the financial support they can get. .

Currently, CAF spends an incredible $50 million over its four-year executive committee cycle ($12.5 million per year) to support travel, expenses and allowances for its 22 members of the executive committee, or more than $500,000 per committee member per year. .

Zambia's proposal also called for a more representative structure of the decision-making bodies of CAF and FIFA across all African football nations, arguing that each of the six African zones should be represented on the FIFA Council . Currently only four are - CAF has six seats plus a female member of the FIFA Council.

Similarly, the Zambian FA argues that all six zones should be equally represented on the CAF Executive Committee with two seats each.

The proposal, which was seen by Insideworldfootball, says it "was driven by the following:

– Equitable representation of CAF members in the FIFA Council, CAF Executive Committee, FIFA Standing Committees and CAF Standing Committee

– Lower cost of running and managing CAF expenses with respect to CAF Executive Committee and CAF Standing Committee

– Improved and accelerated governance structure for the proposed new CAF Executive Committee

– Efficiency in decision-making for the benefit of CAF ”

The proposal was submitted "in accordance with Articles 6.1 (b) and 17 (8) of the CAF Statutes". Once submitted, it should have been distributed to all CAF members.

This was not the case and although it was on the original Congress agenda, it now appears to have been replaced by an item listed as "discussion of a proposal by an African member". The proposal or its details were not discussed.

In fact, Veron went out of his way to make sure the proposal wasn't discussed, including breaking the bylaws he's sworn to uphold and abide by.

For the executive of FIFA and CAF, an oversized and overpaid executive committee is easy to control with many members there to collect their allowances rather than working for African football. Reducing the number of committee members to members elected on pledges to work for football on the continent runs the risk of FIFA losing control and power to divide the committee on issues that are not in its interests .

For Africa, it seems that the power of self-determination is now so far removed that nations cannot even make their own proposals for reform.

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