TFF backs CAF in FIFA election

TFF secretary general Celestine Mwesigwa yesterday said his federation will comply with what CAF agreed to give full support to Sheikh Salman.
Before the CAF endorsement, Sheikh Salman who is from Balirain and president of Asia Football confederation (AFC), mid January this year visited the country where among other things he had discussions with government and TFF officials and he promised to start exchange program between the two federations.
CAF has 54 votes at the disposal, the most of any of the world’s regional governing bodies and it is reported that four of the five FIFA contenders came to Rwanda’s capital where CAF chiefs met.
He faces UEFA’s number two Gianni Infantino, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale, Jerome Champagne, a former assistant secretary-general of FIFA, and Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan.
“Yes as a federation we are in full support of what CAF agreed, we will support the stand of CAF”, he said.
The decision by CAF has significantly improved Salman's hopes of replacing Blatter as the head of the scandal-scarred soccer body. Salman and UEFA secretary general Gianni Infantino are seen as the strongest candidates to win this month’s election. The biggest continental grouping among the 209 voting members is Africa.
"I am deeply honored to have earned the trust of many of our African friends at this crucial stage of the campaigning effort," Sheikh Salman said in a statement.
The endorsement from CAF followed a similar statement of support for Salman from the Asian Football Confederation which has 46 FIFA members who will vote.
"Naturally, I am confident that I now have a reasonably strong position to work from with such support," he said.
Mwesigwa said although CAF executives declared their support for Sheikh Salman, there is nothing compelling African countries to vote for him.
“It’s the FA chiefs who vote in a secret ballot, so you cannot know what will happen but the CAF stance has to be respected”, he said.
Mid last year another contester for the FIFA president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan made a secrete visit to the country where among other things held talks with TFF officials.