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FIFA Presidential Hopeful Sexwale Declares Africa’s Time

FIFA Presidential Hopeful Sexwale Declares Africa’s Time

South African FIFA Presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale believes that the time is right for an African to provide leadership for world football’s governing body.

In November the businessman and former politician was approved to run in the February FIFA presidential elections alongside four other candidates, while a decision on Michel Platini’s candidacy is pending.

The other four candidates who will be vying to replace Sepp Blatter at the world football governing body include Prince Ali Al Hussein, Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Jerome Champagne and Gianni Infantino (pending the decision on Platini, who could then take Infantino’s place).

Speaking to the media at the conference of the Southern African football associations (COSAFA), Sexwale promoted the positive difference that an African candidate could make at FIFA.

“Africa has been on the bench, warming it, and now it’s about time. The time for diversity has arrived and it is Africa’s time,” Sexwale announced, according to SuperSport.

“It’s not about race, it is about showing that FIFA is for everyone and not just for certain people. You have got to show that we are an international body. Nine leaders of FIFA have all been from one area (Europe). You are sending a wrong signal if certain people can be accorded leadership and others are not,” he added.

The former government minister previously served on FIFA’s anti-discrimination task force and was a founding member of the Makana FA, which was the unofficial football organisation for apartheid-era prisoners on Robben Island, where he spent 13 years as a prisoner alongside good friend Nelson Mandela.

“You are sending a signal that some are only good as hunting ground for votes. Africa cannot be that. We are bleeding. Football is not broken, but heartbroken,” he added. “The brand is damaged and has to be changed.”

The election will take place at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress in Zurich on February 26, 2016.