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Johannesburg - By late yesterday, the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) had received three letters from candidates interested in the vacant position on the Fifa council.
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The vacancy was created when Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi resigned after being caught on camera accepting a $65 000 (R876 000) bribe.
He was also a Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive member.
After his resignation on the eve of the World Cup kick-off, CAF president Ahmad Ahmad announced in Moscow that the position would be contested by candidates from English-speaking member countries only.
The elections will be held in Cairo on September 30.
On Monday, Cosafa president Phillip Chiyangwa of Zimbabwe sent out a circular to all 14 regional association presidents stating: “As you well know, the deadline for submission of nominations for the African Anglophone position on the Fifa council is July 20, 2018.
“In February 2016, we agreed that, should continental or world positions become vacant, Cosafa would first and foremost support one of its own ... to present a strong candidate for the position; we should support one candidate.”
Yesterday was the deadline for submissions by presidents of Cosafa member associations who are interested in standing for the Fifa Council position.
Cosafa chief executive Sue Destombes yesterday told City Press her office had received three letters from interested candidates, but she could not divulge the names.
“We will make an announcement only on Tuesday, which is our deadline,” she said.
Destombes dismissed with a laugh information received by City Press that all 14 Cosafa presidents had raised their hands.
On Friday, SA Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan said: “I have been approached by a number of people from the continent and I have availed myself.”
Jordaan had several failed attempts at getting into the CAF executive and twice the then Fifa executive committee (now the council) during the reign of Cameroon strongman Issa Hayatou.
Jordaan left for Moscow on Friday to attend the World Cup semi-finals and final. All Fifa member country presidents were invited to the matches by Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
Before departure, Jordaan revealed that Safa had already pledged its support for the Swiss-Italian to have a second term.
“President Infantino’s ascendency to this position began under circumstances which presented a major threat to world football [and] which brought about the near collapse of Fifa,” said Jordaan.
“Notwithstanding these challenges, he confronted these issues head-on.”
Jordaan said that was why Safa had expressed its confidence that the future of world football looked bright under Infantino’s leadership, and he needed support to ensure continuity.
He said the letter of support from Safa sent to Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura was in line with “article 13 of the electronic regulations for the Fifa presidency and article 24, paragraph 1 of the Fifa statutes”.
The Fifa presidential election will be held at the Fifa congress in Paris on June 5.
Infantino announced at the start of the World Cup in Moscow that he would stand for a second term.
Newly elected Safa vice-president Gay Mokoena will be acting president during Jordaan’s absence.
