CAF celebrates Hayatou as FIFA boss

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is celebrating the rise of its president, Issa Hayatou, to be president of world football (FIFA), even if it is for a brief moment.

Last Wednesday, members of the Executive Committee of CAF were joined by the Youth and Sports Minister of Egypt, Khaled Abdel Aziz to give Hayatou a celebratory welcome when he returned from his first official assignment as the acting FIFA president.

Last Monday, Hayatou was in Zurich to chair the FIFA ExCo meeting, during which he stressed that the reforms at the world football governing body were on course as it was necessary to save the beautiful game.

Ghana Football Association president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, who is also a member of the CAF ExCo, told the Graphic Sports that members were proud of Hayatou's achievement, hence the decision to celebrate him.

"It is a historic moment for African football and though it be for a period, Hayatou has made Africa and himself proud with his new position," Nyantakyi told the paper in an exclusive interview from Cairo, where the CAF ExCo meeting is ongoing.

According to Nyantakyi, Hayatou's rise to the top was comparable to the joy and pride that engulfed the whole continent when George Oppong Weah was named the World's Best Player in 2005.

"To date, it stands out as a historic monument for Africa football and the general consensus among ExCo members at CAF is that Hayatou has just added to that unique achievement."

Nyantakyi also explained that Hayatou's new FIFA post would not affect his activities at CAF and, therefore, there was no need for him to relinquish that position.

"I don't think handling the two positions will be in conflict and since it's a just for a brief period. He stays and we will all support him in whatever way we can so he succeeds in both endeavours, " Nyantakyi, who also heads the West African Football Union (WAFU), told the Graphic Sports.