Africa/Football: Algeria fails to win seat at CAF executive committee, rulers’ isolation deepening

The Algerian regime has suffered a humiliating setback at the Confederation of African football (CAF), after its representative failed to win a seat at the Executive Committee of the African football governing body.

During CAF’s General Assembly convening in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the majority of CAF administrators voted Thursday for the delegate of Libya as representative for North Africa at the executive committee, crushing the Algerian candidate.

Head of the Libyan football federation Abdul Hakim Al-Shalmani gained 38 votes and a four-year mandate, while president of the Algerian football association Djahid Zefizef received 15 votes, an embarrassing score, reflecting the weight and status of Algeria in the African Continent.

The Algerian rulers were hoping to get a seat at CAF executive committee as neighboring Morocco, an active member at the African football body.

Algeria’s resounding failure at CAF adds humiliation to a series of embarrassing international diplomatic setbacks, prompting regional and global concerns.

In his opening address at CAF General Assembly, CAF president Patrice Motsepe hailed Morocco’s stunning performance at the latest World Cup finals in Qatar.

“We are excited and proud of the historic achievements at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 by Morocco as well as Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia, and Ghana”, said Mr. Motsepe.

“The qualification to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 by Morocco was the first such achievement by an African nation. This reflects the significant improvement in the global competitiveness of African football and gives us confidence that our objective of ensuring that an African nation wins the FIFA World Cup is within reach,” underlined CAF Chief.