The 50th Annual General Meeting of the Confederation of African Tennis (CAT) witnessed a changing of the guard in African tennis leadership as Benin’s Jean Claude Talon was overwhelmingly voted in as the new President of CAT. Mr. Talon, who also serves as the President of Benin Tennis, secured 25 votes, outshining Nelson Amanze of Botswana, who received 12 votes, with one vote invalidated. The election marks the transition from Tunisia’s Tarak Cherif, who served as President for an impressive 19-year tenure.
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The presidential election required a runoff as none of the candidates managed to secure three-fourths of the votes from the 38 federations present in Nairobi.In addition to the presidency, five Zone Presidents and a Women Representative were also elected, with Tennis Kenya’s Secretary General, Wanjiru Mbugua Karani, making history as the first woman to be voted in as the Eastern Africa President in Zone IV.
She also becomes the second African woman to hold the position of Vice President of the Confederation of African Tennis. In the election, Wanjiru secured six votes, narrowly surpassing Comoros’ Mahamoud Zayya, who received five votes. This decision followed a second-round vote after the two candidates tied with five votes each in the initial round, with one vote invalidated.
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The elective Annual General Meeting was graced by the presence of International Tennis Federation (ITF) President David Haggerty.
The New Leadership Lineup for the Confederation of African Tennis
- President: Jean Claude Talon – President of Benin Tennis
- Vice President: Mr. Abdelaziz Laarraf – North Africa, Vice President Royale Morocco Tennis Federation – (President Zone 1)
- Vice President: Mr. Ifedayo Akindoju – Western Africa, President of Nigeria Tennis- (President Zone 11) (UNOPPOSED)
- Vice President: Mr. Germain Ickonga Akindou – Central Africa, President of Congo Tennis – (President Zone 111) (UNOPPOSED)
- Vice President: Mrs. Wanjiru Mbugua Karani – Eastern Africa, Secretary General of Tennis Kenya – (President Zone IV)
- Vice President: Mr. Alberto Junior Jonas – Southern Africa, President Mozambique Tennis Federation – (President Zone V)
- Women Representative: Ms. Fatime Kante – Seychelles.
With the election of this new leadership, CAT anticipates a fresh chapter in the development and promotion of tennis across the African continent.