NFA to go for Bhamjee

THE Namibian Football Association (NFA) will back Cosafa President Ismail Bhamjee for the Confederation of African Football (Caf) presidency at elections due to be held at the body’s congress today and tomorrow in Tunisia.

The NFA at its Executive meeting recently took a decision that its head, Petrus Damaseb, should cast his vote for Bhamjee, who has been campaigning for the supreme seat of African football. Bhamjee, who is based in Botswana, is currently the president of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) and is the only candidate challenging the incumbent, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon.The NFA has mandated Damaseb to vote for Thabo Makakole, who is the current president of the Lesotho Football Association, as Caf executive member for the southern region.He has also been asked to back former African football great, Abedi Pele, who is the current vice-president of Ghana Football Association and Special Ambassador for the South African 2010 World Cup bid.Pele is vying to represent the western region on Caf’s executive.Damaseb is attending the congress by virtue of his position as the NFA’s president and as a vice president of Cosafa.NFA spokesperson Cassius Moetie said all his expenses were being paid by Caf, while NFA Secretary General Alpheus Gaweseb, who has been delegated to accompany Damaseb, will have his travel and subsistence allowance covered by the local mother body.Bhamjee announced his candidacy for the Caf presidency last year, with the aim of “restoring dignity and professionalism to African football and to bring a brighter vision to the youth of the continent,” according to his website.The 60-year-old Bhamjee, who is also a member of the Fifa executive committee, “is a long standing sports administrator with vast experience and offers Africa a new vision of competency and transparency for the new century,” it said.Most of the southern African countries that are affiliates to Caf have criticised Hayatou in the past, alleging that he ran the organisation on behalf of certain countries.Bhamjee is quoted on his website as saying that if elected as Caf president, he would revive the structures of African football and bring the organisation in line with modern day developments of the game.”The time is right for a change and African soccer needs a new vision if it’s to take its rightful place among the elite in the world,” he was quoted as saying.Bhamjee, who became Cosafa president in 1998, is also a recipient of the Olympic Merit Order, being one of just a few football administrators to have received it from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).Bhamjee was the first referee in Botswana to be awarded a Fifa badge, while he played football for the Transvaal non-racial schools in his youth.He is married with three children and six grandchildren.Bhamjee, who is based in Botswana, is currently the president of the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) and is the only candidate challenging the incumbent, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon. The NFA has mandated Damaseb to vote for Thabo Makakole, who is the current president of the Lesotho Football Association, as Caf executive member for the southern region. He has also been asked to back former African football great, Abedi Pele, who is the current vice-president of Ghana Football Association and Special Ambassador for the South African 2010 World Cup bid. Pele is vying to represent the western region on Caf’s executive. Damaseb is attending the congress by virtue of his position as the NFA’s president and as a vice president of Cosafa. NFA spokesperson Cassius Moetie said all his expenses were being paid by Caf, while NFA Secretary General Alpheus Gaweseb, who has been delegated to accompany Damaseb, will have his travel and subsistence allowance covered by the local mother body. Bhamjee announced his candidacy for the Caf presidency last year, with the aim of “restoring dignity and professionalism to African football and to bring a brighter vision to the youth of the continent,” according to his website. The 60-year-old Bhamjee, who is also a member of the Fifa executive committee, “is a long standing sports administrator with vast experience and offers Africa a new vision of competency and transparency for the new century,” it said. Most of the southern African countries that are affiliates to Caf have criticised Hayatou in the past, alleging that he ran the organisation on behalf of certain countries. Bhamjee is quoted on his website as saying that if elected as Caf president, he would revive the structures of African football and bring the organisation in line with modern day developments of the game. “The time is right for a change and African soccer needs a new vision if it’s to take its rightful place among the elite in the world,” he was quoted as saying. Bhamjee, who became Cosafa president in 1998, is also a recipient of the Olympic Merit Order, being one of just a few football administrators to have received it from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Bhamjee was the first referee in Botswana to be awarded a Fifa badge, while he played football for the Transvaal non-racial schools in his youth. He is married with three children and six grandchildren.