Will Hayatou take advantage to become next president? (15.03.2002)
As elections of a new executive of FIFA, the world’s soccer governing body comes up in May, there are speculations that Issa Hayatou, CAF president and FIFA vice chairman may be the next president.
Current chairman Sepp Blatter is facing allegations that he rigged his way to victory by buying votes. FIFA’S executive will meet on Thursday to probe into the allegations that Blatter bought votes in 1998 to defeat challenger Lennarh Johansson president of Union of European Football Association (UEFA).
CAF’s vice-president, Farah Addo has accused Blatter of buying votes to win the 1998 election and pundits in soccer circle say the charge coming just on the heels of FIFA elections is to help Hayatou in his intention to run for FIFA elections.
Johansson who will feelscheated if the charge is proved
true is likely to support Hayatou. In 1998 Hayatou lobbied to have Africa give its 55 votes to Johansson but failed as some members voted for Blatter whom Somali’s Farah said offered him 72,000 dollars through agents which was rejected.Although FIFA’s vice-president Hayatou continues to collaborate with Blatter,Johnasson is said to be his favourite man. The European is however not in good
health and observers say he might likely support an African candidate particularly as the Meridian Agreement between CAF and UEFA requires the two to collaborate.
Hayatou is still to declare his candidature which soccer observers say may be determined by the outcome of the investigation of the scandal. The Thursday meeting was summoned by more than half of FIFA’s 24-member committee to examine the allegation.
