Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou said on Tuesday that every one of Africa's 54 member countries will vote for Sepp Blatter in next month's FIFA presidential election, according to REUTERS. Hayatou said in a speech to open CAF's annual congress in Cairo, at which Blatter was present, "Africa is comfortable having you. Africa stays with you." Although the individual countries "do not have to follow Hayatou's directive, Africa is expected to be a strong base of support for Blatter." With 54 of the 209 FIFA member countries "eligible to vote in the presidential election" in Zurich on May 29, Africa is the "largest of the six continental confederations." Blatter is seeking a fifth term in office to "extend a reign" that began in '98. FIFA VP Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, Dutch FA President Michael van Praag and former Portugal int'l Luís Figo are standing against him (REUTERS, 4/7). The AP's Gerald Imray reported the praise Blatter received in Egypt "was in contrast to his uncomfortable reception at the UEFA congress in Austria last month," when his presidency was criticized by the three candidates standing against him, and "some European officials." Hayatou, a FIFA VP and "now an ally of Blatter after failing to unseat him" as FIFA president in '02, made an "apparent reference to that UEFA congress" on Tuesday. Hayatou: "Dear Sepp, I want to reiterate that here in Africa you are never on some strange or hostile territory. You shall always be at home here, on this continent" (AP, 4/7).
TOUGHER PUNISHMENT: The BBC reported Blatter has called for "tougher punishment for teams and associations found guilty of racism." Blatter feels monetary sanctions "are increasingly ineffective." He said, "We have to use our rules to suspend teams, to take away their points or even to relegate them if racism continues." Blatter voiced his views at the CAF congress on Tuesday. He is expected to get "extensive support for his candidacy from the continent's 54 countries." Blatter also reminded African countries of "extensive financial support to the continent's football associations from world football's governing body as he opened the congress." He said FIFA had spent $700M on various programs across Africa. Blatter: "We should maybe spend more to prepare a better future for the children" (BBC, 4/7).
