Nyamilandu eyes Fifa council post
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu wants to replace former Ghana Football Association (GFA) head Kwesi Nyantakyi on the Fifa council during Confederation of African Football (CAF) extraordinary congress on September 30.
The seat has been vacant since Nyantakyi resigned from all his positions at Fifa, CAF, West Africa Football Union (Wafu) and GFA after undercover investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposed him taking bribes to influence the offer of an invitation of players to the national team.
Only member associations propose candidates for the position of member of the Fifa council and FAM has submitted Nyamilandu as its candidate.
Nyamilandu confirmed in an interview yesterday that he is interested in the position.
“Yes, I am interested to run for the position of Fifa council member,” said the FAM president in a brief response.
Nyamilandu’s interest in the position has raised suspicion that the FAM boss will renegade on his earlier announcement that he will not seek a fifth term when FAM goes to polls next year, since only officials from member associations can hold Fifa council positions.
Nyamilandu has previously twice changed his mind not to seek re-election.
But Nyamilandu said the two are not related.
“It’s not a condition that you have to be FAM president to be Fifa council member. Any football official can contest for the post as long as they qualify,” he said.
But soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda wondered how Nyamilandu can still be a football official after serving in the highest position in Malawi football set-up.
“My understanding is that he would retire from football administration, meaning he would not hold any position in FAM set up. I am just wondering what other position he would hold in Malawi football set-up after serving as FAM president for 12 years,” he said.
Nyamilandu faces stiff competition from South Africa Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan and Seychelles Football Federation president Elvis Chetty who are also interested in the post.
Interestingly, Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has said it will support only one candidate from the region to ensure the best chance of success for that individual.
CAF currently has seven members on the Fifa general council, including Fifa vice-president Ahmad Ahmad, who is also CAF president and general secretary Fatma Samoura (Senegal).
The other members are Tarek Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Almamy Kabele Camara (Guinea), Lydia Nsekera (Burundi), Constant Omari (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Hany Abo Rida (Egypt).
