It took a woman to bring to an end a 19-year reign of Egyptian Amr Elwani at the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB)
The former Moroccan international Hajij Bouchra became the first women to head the Cairo-based CAVB following a triumphant victory in an online poll that took place over a period of two days.
Bouchra, who retired from active volleyball just a year after Elwani was first elected as CAVB boss in 2001, became the fifth president of the continental volleyball governing body after garnering 42 (78 per cent) votes to Elwani’s 12.
But this is not the first time that Hajij, who also serves as president of the Royal Moroccan Volleyball Federation, has written history.
Bouchra who retired from active volleyball in 2002, became the first African woman to be elected as FIVB Board of Administration (minority gender) member in 2016.
But her historic victory now opens a new chapter for the Moroccan, who has a background in education and marketing, to bring the much needed change at the CAVB that is currently grappling to save its image amidst financial accountability queries.
First, she will have to start by revisiting the 2019/2020 CAVB financial reports and budgets that were rejected at the last congress.
Elwani, 74, leaves top volleyball management after serving Africa for a cumulative 24 years, including 19 years as CAVB president and FIVB executive vice-president
Before Elwani there were Chardly Zouiten of Tunisia, Nacef Salim (Egypt) and Louhry Gui Gui from Cote D’Ivoire.
FULL BOARD OF CAVB
CAVB PRESIDENT
Bouhra Hajij – Morocco
CAVB VICE-PRESIDENTS
Zone I
Adnan BAKBAK – Libya
Zone II
Rodrigues ANTONIO CARLOS – Cape Verde
Zone III Casimir SAWADOGO – Burkina Faso
Zone IV
Dokony Adiker IDRISS – Chad
Zone V
Waithaka KIONI – Kenya
Zone VI
Fredreck NDLOVU – Zimbabwe
FIVB BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION
Habu GUMEL – Nigeria
Sanga Issouf KONE – Côte d’Ivoire
Daniel Koboa MOLAODI – Botswana
GENDER MINORITY
Agness Nakaonga KAKOMA – Zambia
Mpho PALIME – Lesotho
PRESIDENTS OF CAVB ZONES
Zone I
Mustapha LEMOUCHI – Algeria
Zone II
Bai Dodou JALLOW – Gambia
Zone III
Paul ATCHOE – Ghana
Zone IV
Christian MATATA SHWITI – Congo
Zone V
Fernand Sauveur RUTERANA – Rwanda
Zone VI
Khalid CASSAM – Mozambique
Zone VII
Kayseeven TEEROOVENGADUM – Mauritius