Looking for Soccer News?
Cosafa unanimously endorses Motsepe for Caf presidency
The region has once again combined to support a candidate they want to lead African football for the next four years
Cosafa has unanimously agreed to back Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe for the Caf presidency.
The elections are set for March 12 at the elective Caf Congress in Rabat, Morocco as Motsepe gets ready to contest against Mauritania FA president Ahmed Yahya, Ivory Coast's Jacques Anouma and Senegal FA president Augustin Senghor.
In the 2017 elections, Cosafa threw their weight behind former Caf boss Ahmad Ahmad from their member Madagascar.
"At a meeting of Cosafa Executive Committee on 27 January 2021, it was unanimously resolved that Dr Patrice Motsepe is the only candidate endorsed by the 14-member regional body to run for the Caf presidency in March this year," Cosafa said in a statement.
"The Cosafa Executive reiterated a decision taken in 2017 that the zone should always support one of its own, in this case Dr Motsepe. In 2017, Cosafa was the first bloc to endorse eventual winner Ahmad Ahmad from Madagascar. The Executive has now resolved that member associates will back Dr Motsepe for the Caf presidency."
Cosafa is the biggest bloc of football associations in Africa with 14 members that can translate to as many votes for Motsepe if all members adhere to the stance taken.
The regional decision comes just after Motsepe was on Tuesday cleared by the Fifa Review Committee to contest after eligibility checks.
The South African billionaire was, however, due to appear before the Caf Governance Committee on Thursday for further integrity checks.
It is not clear if Caf's decision would override Fifa's if Motsepe does not satisfy the Governance Committee. But Cosafa president Phillip Chiyangwa is positive about Motsepe's candidature.
“We are confident that once we take a unanimous decision to back one of our own, other members who want real change in Caf will join the winning party. In Dr Motsepe we have a candidate who will usher in a new era for African football,” said Chiyangwa.
If Motsepe contests and win, he would automatically become Fifa vice-president.
