Ahmad elected African football chief

New CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad flanked by BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti (right)
New CAF president, Ahmad Ahmad flanked by BFA president, Maclean Letshwiti (right)

Madagascan Ahmad Ahmad was elected president of the Confederation of African Football on Thursday, ousting veteran leader Issa Hayatou after 29 years in office to usher in a “new dawn” for the sport on the continent.

Ahmad, head of Madagascar’s football federation, won the election in the Ethiopian capital by 34 votes to Hayatou’s 20, official results showed.

Delegates cheered and pumped their fists in the plenary hall after the announcement of the result, which heralded the departure of the last of the old generation of leaders in world football.

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