Ahmad Ahmad

Ahmad Ahmad was born in Madagascar, in the town of Mahajanga, on 30 December 1959. As a child, he developed a passion for sport in general and football in particular, which he played among other disciplines.

Coming from a modest background, he was brought up from the age of 8 months by his grandparents, to whom he is very close. While he lives with them in Tambohorano, they teach him agriculture, animal husbandry and commerce.

In 1972, he obtained his CEPE at the primary school of Tambohorano, then his BEPC in 1976 and a baccalauréat A in 1979 at the High School of Maintirano. From 1979 to 1981, Ahmad Ahmad followed a preparatory course in public and private law.

It was at this time that he chose to devote himself to his passion for sport: in 1981, he entered the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Madagascar, the University of Tananarive, in the Physical and Sports Education (PES) programme, from which he graduated with a Master's degree in 1986.

In 2006, after continuing his studies at the Claude Bernard University of Lyon, Ahmad Ahmad obtained a Master 2 in Sport Management, specialising in "Management of Sports Organisations".

In 2018, he became Doctor Honoris Causa in Law at the University of Ghana.

Parallel to his studies, Ahmad Ahmad got involved in football, and passed his coaching diplomas with the Malagasy Football Federation (FMF), obtaining the certification of 3rd Degree Federal Coach.

Ahmad Ahmad began his career at Tambohorano College (1986–1988) and Mahajanga High School (1988–1989) where he was a Physical and Sports Education (PES) teacher. In 1989, he became a coach at AC Sotema, the Mahajanga football club.

In 1988, he became involved in local politics, becoming head of the sports department of the City of Mahajanga until 1993. At the same time, he was Regional Technical Advisor for Football.

After one year as Director of Population and Social Development at the Ministry of Population (1993–1994), Ahmad Ahmad was appointed to the Malagasy Government as Secretary of state in charge of sports (1994–1995).

He was then Technical Advisor to the National Assembly (1995–1996), then Director of Cabinet of the Minister of Fisheries and Fishery Resources (1996–1998). In 1998, he was appointed President of the State-owned company SOMACODIS, a position he held until 2003.

Ahmad Ahmad was elected President of the Malagasy Football Federation (FMF) in 2003, and became a member of the Executive Committee of the African Football Confederation the same year.

He again serves the Malagasy government between 2014 and 2016 when he is appointed Minister of Fisheries and Fishery Resources. He leaves these functions in 2016, when he is appointed Senator[1] of Madagascar, Vice-President of the Senate by the President of Madagascar Hery Rajaonarimampianina.

In November 2016, Ahmad Ahmad, through the Malagasy Football Federation, of which he has been President since 2003, presented his candidacy for the Presidency of the African Football Confederation, the highest continental body. On this occasion, he faces the Cameroonian Issa Hayatou, who has held the post since 1988.[2]

On 17 March 2017, at the CAF General Assembly in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), the year of the 60th anniversary of the institution, Ahmad Ahmad won the election by obtaining 34 votes out of 54 voters. He was elected President of the African Football Confederation and, in fact, Vice-President of FIFA.

Having ended 29 years of the same uninterrupted presidency, Ahmad Ahmad and his team presented a breakthrough programme, entitled "Together for Change", which rests on four main pillars: transparency of the Confederation, open and modern governance, transformation of the institution and increasing revenues for African football.

The first months of his mandate were welcomed, with his reform commitment being regularly highlighted.[3]

As early as 2017, following the Rabat (Morocco) Symposium, Ahmad Ahmad proposes to the CAF Executive Committee to reform the format of African football competitions, particularly the most important of them: the African Cup of Nations. The new format is accepted, and implemented from the 2019[4] edition in Egypt, with an enlarged number of participants and the introduction of the VAR to assist refereeing.[5] As a result, African nations participate for the first time in the most prestigious continental competition, and have the opportunity to compete against the best teams in Africa.

Regarding the transformation of the Confederation of African Football, Ahmad Ahmad is putting in place a new organisation chart, and a new structure is being created for the entire organisation[6] to be more efficient and close to international standards of governance.

Marketing and sponsorship contracts are also evaluated to increase CAF's revenues and enable it to invest in the development of football. Thus, CAF decides to put an end to an agreement with Lagardère signed over 12 years by Ahmad Ahmad's predecessor, and which was judged "financially dangerous for CAF" by COMESA, and probably criminal with regard to competition rules.[7]

However, in 2019, faced with the internal difficulties encountered by the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football to carry out its reforms, Ahmad Ahmad undertook an unprecedented step by requesting a six-month partnership with FIFA, which was accepted by Gianni Infantino, the President of the international organisation, to assist and audit CAF.[8] Some football leaders on the continent will criticise this approach, describing it as "under tutelage".[9] The partnership ends in February 2020, and CAF will use its good results to present a new reform plan: "Transform CAF 2021[10]".

On 8 June 2020, Ahmad Ahmad honours a new campaign promise by obtaining the agreement of the Egyptian House of Representatives for the signing of a headquarters agreement between the Egyptian State and CAF valid for 10 years.[11] This agreement allows the continental football organisation to benefit from the status of an international non-governmental organisation, with all the related advantages.

Women's football is also undergoing a historic development under the Presidency of Ahmad Ahmad. In March 2018, in Marrakech (Morocco), CAF is organising the first Symposium on Women's Football[12] to put in place initial development measures. In July 2020, CAF announces the launch of a development strategy for women's football called "It's time it's now[13]" which is based on five main pillars: development, competitions, marketing and promotion, professionalisation and leadership, and social impact.

On 5 July 2020, the Executive Committee of CAF announced that on Ahmad Ahmad's proposal, the Women's Champions League will be created as of 2021:[14] it is the first women's competition at the Confederation level. On 10 September, it is announced that the first edition will bring together 8 teams.[15]

Between 2017 and 2020, the subsidies paid by the Confederation of African Football to Clubs, National Federations and Councils have greatly increased, making it possible to develop competitions and infrastructures, particularly for the training of young people.[16]

Following four years of Presidency, on 24 October 2020, 46 Presidents of the 54 member associations of CAF called on Ahmad Ahmad to present his candidacy for a second mandate.[17]

On 28 October 2020, through an interview given to the BBC[18] and Jeune Afrique,[19] Ahmad Ahmad announces that he will stand for re-election on 17 March 2021.

1989 : Founder of the 1st regional games in Madagascar (Melaky games)

1988–1993: Deputy General Secretary of the Mahajanga Football League

2000–2003: Vice-President of the Malagasy Handball Federation

2000–2003: Vice-President of the Malagasy Federation of Sport for All

2000–2003: Member of the International Sports Film and Television Federation

2005–2011: Vice-President of the Malagasy Olympic Committee

2003–2017: Professor of Sports Legislation and Marketing at the National Sports Academy

1986: Dissertation on "The Contribution of Physical and Sports Activities in the Fight against Drugs in Adolescent Environments".

1993 : Establishment of the population commission at the OAU – Addis Ababa

1993: National Conference for the implementation of NGO studies in Madagascar (World Bank financing)

1994: International Conference on Population and Development – Cairo

2003: President of the Reflection Committee on Malagasy Football

2006: Dissertation on "What Strategic Plan for an Autonomous National Football Federation in a Developing Country".

On 6 June 2019, he was heard by the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Fiscal Infractions (OCLCIFF) in Paris while attending the FIFA Congress.[20] CAF is suspected of having favoured the company Tactical Steel for the signing of a commitment with CAF to provide equipment for Chan 2018, while breaking the one CAF already had with Puma.

He emerged free and without charge at the end of his hearing.

On 23 November 2020, he was handed a five-year ban by FIFA over financial misconduct. The FIFA ethics committee found Ahmad had breached his duty of loyalty, offered gifts and other benefits, mismanaged funds and abused his position as the CAF President. Ahmad was also fined 200,000 Swiss francs (USD $220,000).[21] On 25 November 2020, Ahmad announced plans to appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[22]