Soccer News of Tuesday, 28 May 2002

Source: Public Agenda

Ghana Football Association opts for Issah Hayatou

The Ghana Football Association will vote for Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) in his two-race challenge of Sepp Blatter, the incumbent of the governing council on global football, FIFA in the crucial 29 May elections in Seoul, South Korea.

Public Agenda can confirm that the decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting of the GFA at the association?s secretariat in Accra last week. No reason has been given for this decision which run counter to the view of at least one vocal member of the association.

Abedi Ayew Pele, Member of the GFA in charge of Promotion and Sponsorship has been globe-trotting canvassing support for Blatter against the African challenge. It is not know whether or not Abedi Pele was present at the meeting which took the decision.

So far, the FA has kept the ?Vote for Hayatou? decision to its chest but Agenda sources at the FA secretariat say the decision was taken in consonance with CAF?s directive to African national associations to side with the President of the African Confederation.

In 1998 when CAF directed its affiliated members to vote for the European Football Union (UEFA) President Lennart Johansson in his hotly challenged contest with Sepp Blatter, the GFA and other African football federations broke ranks with CAF and voted for Blatter, which has rewarded football associations in developing countries with $250,000 per annum for the development of the game at grassroots level.