CAF President Ahmad responded to questions from the media at the press conference after the end of the 40th Ordinary General Assembly in Casablanca. Below are excerpts.
On Morocco’s candidature for the hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
There are many World Cup procedure manuals in relation to the various FIFA reforms, ethical requirements and regulations. Everyone must respect them be it the candidate as a country or its National Association.
It is for this reason that I’m the only one to have made a pronouncement on the candidature of Morocco for the 2026 World Cup (…) I can reassure you that I will not be neutral. I say it loud and clear. I can answer for which concerns me. I cannot answer for others.
(…) I will act according to the regulations, but the fact of speaking about it is already a support for Morocco. With time, we will see how to manoeuver possible support for the candidature of Morocco for the 2026 World Cup. Nothing says that I cannot do it. Already, I am not entitled to vote. For this reason, I am free.
The vote to choose the host country of the World Cup is done by show of hands, as stated in the Statutes. So how do you expect countries not to show support, since voting is not done by secret ballot? Maybe the FIFA Congress will revise that.
On the Total Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2019
There is no controversy about AFCON 2019. There was an inspection mission by the company, Roland Berger, which is in charge of auditing the infrastructure and organizational related issues for the tournament.
There is a huge difference between the inspection reports and the specifications. As a result, Cameroon were told to double up. There are people who are lying. I am a man of my word and my Executive Committee hasn’t change one iota of that. We will apply the regulation with all its vigour. The specifications require infrastructure, hotels, stadiums, hospitals and a lot more.
On the revival of the Afro-Asian Cup
The project is being discussed between CAF and AFC, and we expect it to be successful. We can revive this competition which existed in the past.
On the status of the vice-presidents, elected to the FIFA Council and vacated their membership of the CAF Executive Committee in pursuant of the duality mandate provision.
The CAF statutes, and in particular Article 22, on the duality of functions between CAF and FIFA, oblige members of the executive to choose between CAF and FIFA. Elected members of the FIFA Executive are automatically members of the CAF Executive and with voting powers. Nothing will change.
On the incidents between the presidents of the Ivorian and Moroccan federations during the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 qualifier in Abidjan.
For the incidents at the Houphouët-Boigny stadium in Abidjan, the case is on. There have been accounts from the various parties as required by the Disciplinary Committee. I cannot tell you now where they are.