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Sports Reporter
WORLD Football governing body FIFA acting president Issa Hayatou has congratulated new ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa following his election to lead the association on Saturday.

Hayatou, who is also the Confederation of African Football president, said he was hopeful that Chiyangwa’s leadership will benefit Zimbabwean football.

Chiyangwa was an overwhelming winner with the Harare businessman thumping three other aspirants — Trevor Carelse-Juul, Leslie Gwindi and James Takavada — to become the new ZIFA boss.

Hayatou, in his letter, expressed optimism that football would develop under Chiyangwa.

“CAF is confident that your experience, know-how, and leadership will benefit football in Zimbabwe and allow its durable development,” Hayatou said.

Chiyangwa polled 40 votes, beating his closest rival Juul who managed 13 while other presidential aspirants Gwindi and Takavada had two and one votes respectively. The new board for which Omega Sibanda bounced back as vice president replaces the leadership that was led by Cuthbert Dube, who had his mandate and that of the entire board revoked by the ZIFA assembly at an extraordinary meeting on October 3.

It also emerged last night that Chiyangwa and his new board are set to undertake a familiarisation tour of the ZIFA headquarters at 53 Livingstone Avenue in Harare to meet with the staff.