Caf President IssaHayatou says new Fifa President Gianni Infantino
has the 'continued support' of Africa.
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Issa Hayatou, the head of the Confederation
of African Football (Caf), has formally written to Gianni Infantino to
congratulate him after being voted in as the new president of football's world
governing body Fifa.
Infantino
succeeds fellow Swiss SeppBlatter, after polling 115 votes, 27 more than
closest rival Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, at Friday's election.
Infantino
was not the favoured candidate of Caf, who had given its backing to Sheikh
Salman.
Despite
that, Cameroon's Hayatou - who had been Fifa's acting president in the lead-up
to the election - sent Infantino a letter, dated 27 February 2016,
congratulating him on behalf of the Caf Executive committee and 'the African
football family':
"Be
assured of the continued support of Caf, African members of the new Fifa
Council, as well as our commitment to strengthening the excellent relationship
between Caf and Fifa," Hayatou wrote.
After
his victory, Infantino promised to restore the image of Fifa, and Hayatou
backed him to fulfil his pledge.
"We
are confident that you will restore Fifa's image backed by your career, skills,
passion for football, understanding of the issues related to the future of
football, and your desire to develop our sport around the four corners of the
world," said the Caf President.
With
54 member African confederations able to vote in the presidential election -
more than any other Fifa region - Caf's support for Sheikh Salman installed the
Bahranian as a favourite to win.
But
in the lead-up to the election, some African federations confirmed they would
not be following Caf's directive, including Liberia, whose FA Chairman Musa
Bility claimed that 26 African FA presidents had told him they would not be
voting for Sheikh Salman.
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