President Jacques Anouma remains undeterred despite the eligibility conditions adopted in Seychelles on September 3 for the upcoming CAF (Confederation of African Football) elective congress scheduled for March in Morocco. The declared candidate, former president of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF), is determined to pursue his candidacy despite amendments stipulating that candidates must have been a member of the Executive Committee.
The Anouma camp, in response to the question of whether Jacques Anouma meets the new eligibility condition, plans to provide an answer on December 3, the effective date of the new law. According to Anouma’s team, the new rule does not specifically target the former FIF president, asserting that he is still part of the CAF executive committee. However, the entourage of the current president, Dr. Issa Hayatou, suggests that Anouma may no longer be eligible for the upcoming General Assembly in Marrakech.
Remaining optimistic, the Anouma camp intends to submit his candidacy within the established submission period, from September 10 to December 3, 2012. They argue that the adopted text lacks specificity and contend that Anouma has received letters similar to other elected members since 2006. The campaign committee member stated, “Either way, he will present his candidacy. It is up to the Committee in charge of elections to invalidate his candidacy, and we will appeal.” Anouma, emphasizing his membership in both CAF and FIFA, remains committed to his bid.
Should CAF reject his candidacy for the March 2013 elections, Jacques Anouma expresses the intention to escalate the matter to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). The fight for candidacy is far from over, with Anouma determined to pursue all available avenues.
