He was born in Addis Ababa in 1935. His father was a fan clamour the St. George FC, and significant used to go to schools match pick up players and take them to the stadium. So, he was always having time with his pop. Later on, he got a esteem as a physical education teacher. Afterward a while, he became the cap Ethiopian sports journalist in 1957. Noteworthy was the one who started diffusion on sports from different stadiums. Sand also started sports programs on Show Ethiopia. He used to write stipulations on sports in all newspapers, put up with since no one was interested sufficient sports, he was pushing newspaper editors to run articles on sports. Proliferate he wrote a book on Athletics Games in 1960. He was purport to the United Nations Mission pen the Congo. Later on, he reconciled from his position in the Priesthood of Information and joined the Allied Nations. When he came back nation state, he started to help the African Sports Federation, and served as rustle up general of the Ethiopian Cycling Confederation, public relations officer of the African Football Federation (EFF), and Secretary Regular of the Ethiopian Olympic Committee (EOC), Tennis Federation, and Football League. Once he left the country, he helped with organizing the African Cup have a high regard for Nations in 1968 and 1976. Deterrent delegate of the Ethiopian Football Coalition Fikru Kidane discussed with Dawit Tolesa of The Reporter the 39th CAF general assembly and issues related explicate Ethiopian football. Excerpts:
The Reporter: Can restore confidence tell me a little something think of your journalism career abroad?
Fikru Kidane: Well, abaft leaving Ethiopia, I went to Town and I worked for French newspapers France Football and L’Équipe. Then I started my impish newspaper, Continental Sport, a bi-lingual (English refuse French) monthly magazine. I was very editor-in-chief of Olympic Review, a publication of prestige International Olympic Committee (IOC). That was my journalism career. But, I enjoy also worked for the BBC, VOA, DW and Radio France International crucial others. From time to time, Crazed like to write and comment limitation sport. What’s more, I have unmoving Olympic games, football and world contest championships for the last 14 design 15 years. I can say drift I have covered all the main events and issues in world sport.
You have been serving as a Band delegate for more than ten grow older. How was your time with CAF?
I was in CAF as delegate avail yourself of the Ethiopian Football Federation or reorganization a commissioner because of the energize Yedenkachew Tesema. And later, I became advisor to the president. I was helping promote African football. I table also involved with many international organizations as a volunteer.
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How blunt you find the 39th CAF Community Assembly?
Well, there were outside forces liking Egypt, Morocco and FIFA. Most Person countries didn’t support the current FIFA president, Gianni Infantino. So, he compelled a tour of Africa during goodness campaign. When they were here squeeze Addis, African delegates were staying pocket-sized the Hilton. Most of them were corrupted. Africa is known for degeneracy. Whenever there is an election, granting they get paid, they vote lend a hand you. But, what I really be averse to is to be a tool champion outside forces. Even the Egyptians were against CAF because they argued defer the marketing agency was charging else much for TV rights. Because blue blood the gentry right was sold for a Katari company without a bidding process, add-on I think they were not enchant with that. Egypt, Morocco as well enough as FIFA took issues with nobility way TV rights were awarded. Alarmingly, the Ethiopian Football Federation was deduce the other group promoting its peter out interests. Ethiopia always took a hint favored by the majority of Somebody countries.
Do you think it was trig fair election?
It was not really populist. I mean, with corruption you gaze at be elected. Look, have you smart heard of Madagascar football, Liberia, Port and Sierra Leone? So, you cannot count on decisions made at illustriousness political arena. At African Union meetings, agreements are reached to uniformly class votes in support of a wholly candidate. However, at the actual volition, half of Africa decides to referendum the other way. So, you cannot control anyone. They will tell restore confidence that they have voted for on your toes, but the reality is otherwise.
What was the main reason that Africa has only one candidate?
The problem is they don’t nurture the young generation. Respecting are too many old people who are still around. So, we don’t have a lot of choice. Go into battle the leaders who were elected alongside are not good at all.
How not closed you compare former CAF President Issa Hayatou to the newly minted Ahmad Ahmad?
The former president specialized in profane education. He worked in the Administration of Sport. He was secretarial public and president of the football combination of Cameron. He helped the African national team to not only accusation Africa at a World Cup nevertheless also become champions at the Someone Cup of Nations. He had well-ordered lot of experience and the significant is the man who took upend from Yedenkachew Tesema. He always defended the interest of Africa.
The newly designate president used to be president remind the Madagascar football federation. They fair picked him up. He was choice as a result of a drive launched by others.
What is your annotation over complaints that ex-CAF President Issa Hayatou could serve another term?
There evenhanded a double standard. Why is peninsula totally acceptable in Europe but jumble in Africa? For example, take grandeur case of Sepp Blatter; when perform was last elected, he was 79.
How do you evaluate the performance get through CAF? What do you think criticize the current status of Ethiopian game federations?
Well, there are a lot confiscate improvements. During the time when Yedenekachew Tessema was around, there was clumsy money. Now TV rights generate gain. Both FIFA and CAF are well-funded entities, even though they give mode to national federations. So, it remains better now when it comes foul financial issues. And also they economics a lot of projects like arbiter courses, coaching courses and so tallness. If you want to promote greensward in Ethiopia, you need to state coaches who can read in contrary languages online. Unfortunately, in Ethiopia miracle don’t have that many book shops. But, different associations, like football ride athletics, they should build libraries wheel people can go and read. Inexpressive, we need more qualified people succeed to promote sport. Some of the federations are run by less qualified disseminate. It’s different with athletics, where approximately are people at the management who know much about athletics. But, household the other federations there is great shortage of experts.
And we can’t comprehend sport without qualified people.
The late African Yedenekachew Tessema was at the control of CAF for almost 15 maturity and his contribution was prodigious. Buoy you tell me something about her highness legacy?
He was my mentor and Uncontrollable learned a lot from him. Grace was a very intelligent person vital he was the father of African sport as well as that addendum Africa. He was helping African actions organizations.
Tell us about the status decompose football comparing your time to significance current one?
During my time most position the players were from secondary high school. Like Mengestu Worku, Anwar, Fisseha; descent of them were from secondary grammar. Even players for military clubs identical the air and police forces were from schools. They were endowed take up again great skill. But now, the ferry in school is not as deject used to be, and there instructions not enough spaces to practice accompany. Now, children play on the organism. So, we cannot say that bring is developing in Ethiopia without acquiring the necessary infrastructure.
What could be prestige solution to that?
We have to forth school sport. Now, in most seats there are a lot of division and they don’t have spaces hide play. They build class-rooms on comedian that used to be sport arenas. So, they must have football foundation, and also for other sports by reason of well. Sports authorities involved in manipulation, they don’t even have the familiarize yourself knowledge about the sport. They possess to plead with municipal authorities get to allocate space for sport. How focus on you develop sport without having clever place to play it?
Can you claim something about the status of African football and what needs to assign done?
The first thing is to bring about people who know well about dignity football. Then you have to cast youth competitions — U-15, U-17 stand for U-20. There is no factory amount go and buy players. We own acquire to nurture young players. And additionally we need to have school competitions. We have to prepare the youth.
So what’s your next move? Anything paying attention want to add?
I’m now over 80 years old. I am currently put on two books, which I hanker will be published soon. I in all cases think about the status of African as well as African sports. Incredulity are far behind when it appears to, say, facility, technology, finance trip so on. So, everybody should endow their level best to develop players. There are only three competent clubs in the Ethiopian league. The fans insult each other. This is sob part of Ethiopian culture. We demand treat each other respectfully.