Yidnekatchew Tessema was
the only one from among the founders, who had served the African
Football Confederation without interruption, from its foundation on
08 February 1957, to the moment he passed away on 19 August 1987. He
had thus been uniquely on the spot, for all noteworthy developments in
the first thirty years of the
Confederation's life.
It was to share and
preserve this first hand account of the
chapter 1957-1987; that he initiated work on the
history book of the Confederation to begin in 1986. To
this end, he entrusted renowned Journalist Mahjoub Faouzi, assisted
by the Confederation's public Relations head Zaven
Djizmedjian, with the task of thorough research, on the
minutes of meetings, correspondences and photos available in the
archive of the headquarters.
Unfortunately, due to
extended delay in the research work and the parallel rapid
deterioration of his health; Yidnekatchew could neither share his
irretrievable first hand account with the authors, nor was he able to
ensure that all important components of the history were included and
sufficiently discussed in the book; his contribution had to be limited to an earlier written forward, and two
everlasting articles on Refereeing and on Violence in football.
Yidnekatchew Tessema's death just a few months
before print, had obviously deprived the end product the
comprehensiveness it deserved. Nearly all important issues were either
totally omitted, or belittled to unnoticeable remarks.
The autonomy and
indisputable authority of the Confederation in making decisions on
football matters in the Continent, independent of Diplomatic and
political pressures from African Governments; the equality and respect
on the International level and the eventual exemplary Continental
status; did not come about in a vacuum. If one or more of the above
were left unresolved, the current situation of the Confederation would
have been totally different. The legacy of the first thirty years was
its ability to defeat a multitude of internal and external injustices
and threats, while at the same time accomplishing huge success in the
all round development of the beautiful game in the Continent.
This was why,
Yidnekatchew wanted all the issues of the chapter, 1957-1987; to be
sufficiently discussed in this book. But, contrary to the
wish and the declaration in the forward of by then already, the late
Yidnekatchew Tessema; the final product in 1988,
was nowhere near the
heritage and/or the reference document it was originally intended to
be.
Successive publications, especially the 40th anniversary book,
was a direct copy plus some more exclusions. It is
this
lack of authoritative history that is encouraging the current trend of
omissions, alterations
and distortions.
In this connection, post Yidnekatchew CAF official
publications are to this day printing contradictory statements,
particularly on the foundation year and the founders of CAF, as well
as on the coach of the Ethiopian National team that won the third
African Cup of Nations.
Although the legal
foundation of the Confederation was in Khartoum on February 08 1957,
several attempts have been made to introduce a discussion held at the
Avienda Hotel in Lisbon on 07-08 June-1956, as the actual foundation of
the Confederation. The mere intent of this new claim was to exclude
Ethiopia and Yidnekatchew Tessema from the founders list. In another
bemusing version, the official magazine of Egypt 2006 did not only
confirm Lisbon 1956 as the venue and date of foundation, but also
asserted that Ghanaian, Ohine Djan, whose country was not even
liberated in this year, was a Founding member in 1956!!
On the identity of the
coach of the Ethiopian National team that won the third and only,
African Nations Cup; CAF News had repeatedly alternated between
Yugoslavian Milosevic, (who was not even in the country at the time),
and Ethiopians Tsehay Bahre, or Adamu Alemu, who were assistant
coaches to Yidnekatchew, during this tournament. A clip from the
Amharic daily Addis Zemen, under the title Coaches of the Ethiopian
team, published only days after the final, confirms Yidnekatchew was
the President of the team organizing committee. President of team
organizing Committee and team selection Committee Chairman, were the
titles Yidnekatchew held throughout the years he served as coach of
the National team.
CAF Special
Edition-February 2007 number 88, a Magazine distributed on the
occasions of the 50th Anniversary celebrations, offers very little in
terms of
history; but, again, the late Yidnekatchew Tessema had regrettably been misquoted in this Magazine as having
said:-
"C.A.F. does not need
any financial support. Its
budget is healthy and its receipts exceed its expenses every
year" declared a bullish Tessema in
1986. The authors and/or publishers, can not produce a single
evidence to substantiate this quotation. It is deliberately out of
context and dishonest. Yidnekatchew had on several occasions
since the beginning of unseen before revenue from live TV broadcast of
the Nations Cup, in Libya 82, declared:- "CAF'S budget is
healthy, and its receipts exceed its expenses every
year", but, he had never said "C.A.F. does not
need any financial
support"!! In fact, until his last F.I.F.A. Congress, in Mexico
1986, he had fought to increase Africa's share from F.I.F.A. revenues.
He had gone as far as demanding the need for the revision of the
statutes of F.I.F.A.; one of the Major objectives being, the equitable
distribution of its revenue among all the Confederations. This
meant reducing from powerful Europe to increase Africa's share.
Why C.A.F. chose to
remember Yidnekatchew Tessema in this manner, and at such a high point
in its life, is beyond me.
Nonetheless, this offence can not outweigh the Exceptional Award, the
commemorative ceremonies and most importantly, the testimonial by his
successor only ten years ago. The family is therefore still grateful
to the following deserved posthumous recognitions from CAF.
The Executive Committee of the African Football
Confederation had awarded him its first "Order
of Merit in Gold" with the title "Exceptional"; at a special memorial ceremony held in Cairo on
the 28th of September 1987.
The Congress
in Casablanca on March 10 1988, had dedicated the African Youth Cup to his name.
"Tessema Cup" is to
this day engraved on this rotating cup. It was also at this Congress that he was given the
posthumous title; "
Honorary President of the African Football Confederation".
Remembering
Yidnekatchew Tessema.
On the
initiative of his successor, the current President Issa Hayatou; the
40th anniversary of the Confederation was commemorated together with
the first decade of Yidnekatchew Tessema's death, in Cairo, on the
19th of August 1997. The following
tribute to Yidnekatchew Tessema, is extracted from the speech of Mr.
Issa Hayatou, on this occasion.
"The Duty to remember....
We are
gathered here to celebrate the 40th anniversary of CAF and to
commemorate the tenth anniversary of the passing away of our regretted
brother and friend, Yidnekatchew Tessema... his name will forever
remain engraved in the history of our African Football... A relentless
worker, persistent fighter and an accomplished intellectual, President
Tessema was to be both the architect and the builder of our
Confederation. He was to coach it into full maturity, with its well
established authority and indisputable prestige. He was to outline the
direction of our Confederation, specify its requirements and determine
its projects... A remarkable and fascinating task which he
accomplished till the very last of his energy.... With the passing
away of Mr. Tessema, the era of historical management came to an
end... Ever since my election in Casablanca on March 10 1988, my line
of conduct has remained unchanged; I pledged to respect the will of
Mr. Tessema and preserve his heritage in all
fields..."
In
view of all these everlasting, but well deserved recognitions; the
family had and will continue to disregard such provocative inserts in
C.A.F. publications. Nonetheless, I sincerely hope the 50th Anniversary book will be more
comprehensive and honest to the history of C.A.F. in General, and the
legacy of Yidnekatchew Tessema in particular.
Follow
the links here-below for brief narratives on important components that
can not and should not be detached from the history of
the African Football Confederation.
C.A.F.; the beginning.
C.A.F.; early dispute with
F.I.F.A. on the issue of Apartheid.
C.A.F.; lengthy power
struggle within, the turning point in Yaoundé 1972.
C.A.F.; the intrusion of the
Supreme Council for Sports in Africa.
C.A.F.; evolution of the
African Nations Cup.
C.A.F.; the battle for its rightful
place in F.I.F.A..
C.A.F.; Yidnekatchew Tessema and the
current leadership of CAF.
C.A.F.; against Tobacco
advertisement.
C.A.F.; the 16 Nations
final.
Back to home page
Yidnekatchew Tessema.
