Issa Hayatou is expected to win his battle to stay in charge of African football here this week but the bitter problems facing the sport on the continent are set to overshadow his celebrations.
The Cameroonian, who has been president of the African Football Confederation (Caf) since 1988, is tipped to see off the challenge of fellow CAF and Fifa executive committee member Ismael Bhamjee from Botswana in voting which takes place at the Caf General Assembly meeting.
The winner will have to contend with the anger of European clubs after losing some of their top players for up to six weeks at the African Nations Cup, a wrath intensified by the staging of the event every two years.
More and more African nations are frustrated with the new system of combining qualifiers for the 2006 Nations Cup and World Cup, which has left some teams facing a competitive fixture vacuum of two years.
Even some teams who have made it to the 2004 African Nations Cup, which kicks off here on Saturday, have already aired their frustrations at the growing gap in the financial muscle between the haves and the have-nots in Africa.
”Hayatou has divided CAF between bigger and smaller countries and these divisons are not healthy,” said Bhamjee.
”I think all members of CAF should be treated equally.”
Hayatou, defeated two years ago in his attempts to unseat Sepp Blatter at the head of Fifa, has defended his record — especially in the controversial combined Nations Cup/World Cup qualifiers.
”I have taken a lot of time to explain this system in detail to the sports authorities in all of the countries I have visited,” said Hayatou.
But the decision has not gone down well with the minnows of the continent — especially those facing two years until their next meaningful match.
”It is absolutely unacceptable and I can’t understand this system,” said Michael Nees, coach of the Seychelles, one of 21 nations who lost in the preliminary round for the 2006 tournaments.
”As far as I am concerned, I would compare this decision of CAF to parents who abandon their children for a quieter life.”
The run-up to the tournament has also been overshadowed by rows over player availability from top clubs in England and France.
In the English Premiership, Bolton and Arsenal have been trying to hang onto Nigerian stars Jay-Jay Okocha and Kanu for as long as possible, while others, like Spurs, are outraged over the new Fifa ruling that allowed French-born Frederic Kanoute to play for Mali.
However, French legend Michel Platini has leapt to the defence of the system.
”Every two years we have this debate. For reasons of climate, the tournament can’t take place at any other time,” said Platini.
”But the European clubs know that the Nations Cup takes place every two years, so if they don’t want their players to go, they shouldn’t recruit Africans.” – Sapa-AFP