Walter concedes defeat

By Mabvuto Kambuwe

Football Association of Malawi (Fam) president Walter Nyamilandu says the odds were stuck against him during Caf elective congress in Rabat, Morocco on Friday.

This comes just a day after he surrendered his Fifa Council seat after he only secured eight votes against Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick votes.

Nyamilandu said although he lost the election, it was an honour to serve as Fifa Council member for years.

“It was clear that the odds were stuck against me as events unfolded. Withdrawing was never an option for me because I am a fighter and not a quitter,” Nyamilandu said.

”I take pride knowing that I was the best candidate with the best profile but the circumstances were beyond my control. I believe that when one door closes, another one opens hence the sky remains the limit for me,” he said.

Nyamilandu served as a Fifa Council member for two-and-half years after he defeated South Africa Football Association (Safa) president Danny Jordaan in 2018 in Egypt.

But Minister of Youth and Sports, Ulemu Msungama told privately owned radio station Zodiak, that it was unfortunate that Nyamilandu lost the election.

For winning the Fifa Council member seat, Pinnick became a member of Caf executives alongside Senegalese FA boss Austin Senghor and Mauritania FA leader Ahmed Yahya, Souleiman Waberi from Algeria FA and Fouzi Lekjaa from Morocco.

During the assembly, South African business mogul, Patrice Motsepe was endorsed as Caf president.