Hayatou deposed by Ahmad as African football chiefBy Elias Meseret

                                                                        Issa Hayatou's 29-year reign as head of the

Confederation of African Football (CAF) is over after Madagascar's

Ahmad Ahmad beat him in a presidential election on Thursday.

Ahmad picked up 34 votes to Cameroonian Hayatou's 20 at the CAF

                                                  General Assembly in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Ahmad, the head of the Madagascar Football Association, told

delegates it was a "sweet victory" and "a result that has been

achieved after years of work".

His staff hugged in celebration and Ahmad had tears of joy in his

eyes as he left the auditorium.

Hayatou had survived a series of scandals over the last 29 years and

was one of the last relics of the Joseph Blatter era following the

grubby exit of the former FIFA president in 2015 over a corruption

probe.

The 70-year-old Hayatou, who has serious kidney problems and looked

visibly tired after his defeat in the vote, was bidding for an eighth

term as CAF chief.

But an investigation by the Egyptian competition authority into

Cairo-based CAF's media rights sales for tournaments, his failing

health and a feeling across African football of a need for change

looks to have contributed to his defeat.

"I'm not a candidate who will serve his personal interests. African

football cannot be managed by bandits," Ahmad had said in a statement

before the voting took place.

"I will reorganize CAF's financial sector to make it accessible to

all sectors and areas. Five million dollars, or 50 per cent of

earnings from FIFA, will go to African federations."

In 2011, Hayatou was reprimanded by the International Olympic

Committee over kickbacks from a now-defunct sports marketing company.

He had been challenged for the CAF presidency only twice before in

his long reign and won by landslide victories.

At a press conference later on Thursday, the newly elected Ahmad

said: "I think it was normal power switch."

"Once again, African football has shown that we are at the forefront

of democracy in Africa," Ahmad said.

When asked about pressure from Europe for the Africa Cup of Nations

to be played every four years, he said: "I'm open to dialogue and

discussion. But we have things that are already happening ... We will

convene our famous players to discuss a couple of matters."

CAF also unanimously approved Zanzibar as a new member on Thursday,

meaning the island can now compete in international football despite

being part of Tanzania.