FIFA’s acting president Issa Hayatou has given up some of his powers as Confederation of African Football (CAF) leader ahead of the increasingly controversial election campaign to head football’s world body.
Hayatou will leave CAF’s handling of the FIFA election and relations with other regional confederations to his two vice presidents, according an official statement.
CAF decided the move on Saturday, a day after FIFA presidential contender Prince Ali bin al Hussein made a complaint over an accord made by the CAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). CAF officials denied there was a link however.
“The president, in agreement with the executive committee, just wants to exclusively wear his FIFA hat in handling the election for which the final phase will start on January 26 with the final list of candidates,” said a CAF spokesman Junior Binyam.