FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has cautioned African football leaders to eradicate the ugly menace of age cheating in the game.
Speaking at a two-day symposium on African football, with the theme: “African Football: Our Vision,” which ended in Rabat, Morocco on Wednesday, Infantino said bringing age cheating to barest minimum is the first step in fostering the growth in football.
He said: “This symposium will prove crucial to the future of African football. We must be united and work very hard, and be sincere in putting the best ideas on the table to propel African football to new levels.”
In an impressive mix of English and French (and a few words in Arabic), the FIFA boss also pledged the world body’s support for the steps that must be taken to reposition the African game, while acknowledging that women football in African has potential to be a much bigger brand.
He also asserted that long-term investment is the way to go for African football.
The CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad, who spoke during Tuesday’s opening ceremony, said: “The truth is that we must find consensus here on the way forward for the African game. We must focus on the essentials and forge a change in the direction of the African game. We will be having a different symposium for the women’s game in the first quarter of 2018.”
Presidents and General Secretaries of CAF’s 55 Member Associations were joined by Chairmen of Leagues, top-notch club owners, marketing gurus, media luminaries, broadcast partners, legal experts and playing legends at enthusiastic sessions held inside the International Conference Centre Mohammed VI in Skhirat, on the outskirts of Morocco’s administrative capital.
A CAF Extraordinary General Assembly will take place at the Hotel Sofitel in Rabat on Friday.