CAF mutes over Adamu’s corruption charges

CAF Executive, Kabele Camara

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to keep quiet on the corruption charges brought against its Executive Member and President of the West African Football Union (WAFU), Amos Adamu.

This was revealed by another Executive Member of CAF, Almamy Kebele Camara, who was delegated by President Issa Hayatou to the WAFU Extraordinary General Assembly in Banjul on 9^th April, 2011, co-organised by the Gambia Football Association (GFA) and WAFU.

Amos Adamu is suspended from all football and football related activities for three years since November 2010 following claims he had asked for money in exchange of his 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding votes.

Mr. Camara noted that the CAF President has said he cannot comment on the issue as it is before a court of law.

He also said Hayatou is saddened by the sufferings of the people of Ivory Coast and hopes that peace will prevail in the country very soon.

CAF’s premier objective is to promote peace through football, he said.

He also noted that most of the problems facing the Continent’s Football Governing Body are finance, while urging the General Assembly to pay their subscriptions at WAFU.

“It is also my duty to remind you that we should all be responsible in maintaining professionalism in football,” he charged, while noting that its is an open secret that all clubs competing in CAF’s international competitions should be licensed at their local level and not necessarily by CAF.

While urging for local football to be made a top priority, he said Hayatou calls on WAFU to remain united and work towards developing local football in their respective countries.

In his opening address, the Minister for Youth and Sports, Sheriff Gomez said the theme “Moving from Strategy to Reality” is indeed apt and timely.

He said the Government of The Gambia continues to commit herself to creating the enabling environment for the development of football.

However, he said given the prevailing atmosphere of suspicion between the relations of governments and sport associations “you will come up with strong recommendations to further strengthen the relations”.

He said if the sub-region is to continue exporting good talents in football, WAFU National Sporting Associations and Governments must step up efforts towards this development.

In his welcome remarks, the President of The Gambia Football Association, Seedy Kinteh said the General Assembly gives them the opportunity to bring together their experiences and various challenges of national associations.

“It is time to bury our differences in order to move forward,” he said. The event was co-organised by the Gambia Football Association (GFA) and WAFU.