Soccer: Jospeh Blatter calling in, a ray of light in a dark sea of bad news

Is Ahmad the right man on top of the Malagasy soccer? The issue is a cause for division. The figure is having a more than decent sporting non related score sheet. He has been leading various administration and management reforms in the country’s football institution. “Modern soccer is a matter of management and business “, he commented. But this comment proved to be largely enough to stir other challengers’ greed up for a, somehow, very lucrative position. The president of the FMF is being granted a limitless credit card, no matter how much or what for he is inclined to withdraw from it, no strings atttached. Representing the wealthiest and the mightiest of the national federations is, obviously, the holy grail.  

President Ahmad’s mandate has been considerably enhanced by the Fifa Goal project. Part of his achievement is the House of soccer, the Federation’s head office located in Isoraka Antananarivo, inaugurated by Michel Platini, by that time a Fifa official. The “pope” of soccer, the president of FIFA, is now on his way to Madagascar in order to inaugurate the internationally financed sport facilities, namely a national technical center located in Carion, some twenty kilometers away from Antananarivo. The training facilities and pitches for national team players are ready. Joseph Blatter will also be in Mahajanga in order to inaugurate the Rabemananjara stadium’s central tier. FIfa representatives had already pioneered his tour, and inaugurated the synthetic lawn, the single country-wide copy.  

Fifa almighty has long been finding one special thing particularly despicable: the use of sports, namely football, in a political end. The HAT had made the inauguration of Mahajanga’s synthetic lawn as a propaganda tool. That time’s deputy sports minister produced a fully political speech praising the young putsch maker. Andry Rajoelina will be back in action again with President Blatter’s visit, and some 400 000 dollars of international support together with him. The challenge of the international non recognition is expected. In any case, the FIFA might appreciate the transitional government’s led reform of the law pledging full control of the sport federations to the ministry of the sports. 

The Malagasy soccer’s performance is, however, quite poor. Both Ajesaia, Madagascar’s league champion, and the AS Adema, holder of the Cup of Madagascar failed to pass the first African tour. At club level, the “professionals” from La Reunion undisputedly outclass the Malagasy amateurs. The Bareas’ qualification to the ACHN, the African Cup of Home Nations, dedicated to home based players, is the latest and ultimate challenge for the FMF since the true CAN remains a faraway dream. But neither the players’ sporting qualities nor the talents of the players have been questioned. Only the federation’s management is being pointed at. In the end, the president of the FMF is presenting a so poor score sheet on the pitch that the other achievements are being ignored. And to make matters worse, repeated incidents during international club games are not to help the federation. Supporters from Antananarivo, ye be warned! Mahajanga is from now on an alternative for international games!