Former Ethiopia AFCON coach Sewnet Bishaw has passed Ethiopian Football Federation Electoral Board test and will challenge for Executive Committee slot alongside sixteen others in the forthcoming election.
The 12-man Electoral Board named the candidates to contest for the ten positions midweek after a vetting process.
The body also revealed four candidates who will challenge Juneidi Basha for the position of president during the much awaited election on 25th December.
Swenet, 65, is revered for qualifying the Walia Ibex to the 2013 AFCON after 31-year-wait. He has secured the backing of his home state Amhara to go for the post.
Another veteran coach who led the country to CECAFA Championship glory Asrat Hile has been backed by Addis Ababa state to contest for one of the positions.
Previously, eleven regional states produced one candidate each for the ten Exco slots, but the Electoral Board relaxed the rule to allow as many qualified individuals to vie.
Meanwhile, Benshangul state has backed Sofia Alamrew as the only woman candidate in the race.
Tigray state on the other hand has rescinded their early decision to rally behind the current EFF vice president Tekelwoyni Assefaw after he made a derogatory statement towards Tigray women and went against Ethiopian PM Haile Mariam Desalege word.
The PM, who hails from Tigray state last month, sent a message to the effect that sports federations should be led by those who have been in sports.
This did not go down well with Assefa who is a former military man and he openly condemned the PM.
The state will instead support the candidacies of Dedebit FC founder Awol Ibraham and Ethiopia Youth Academy deputy CEO Woldegabriel Mezagbu for Exco positions and vice president contest.
In race for president, Oromia state has replaced former St. George and Ethiopia international Anteneh Feleke with Esayas Jira for the top seat.
The election that was initially to take place on 4th November, but was postponed as per FIFA recommendation, will now take place on 25th December in Semera, 500 kilometers north east of Addis Ababa
One hundred and forty four members will cast their votes to elect the new office for a term of four years.
Candidates for president
Presidency candidates
Juneidi Basha
Teka Assefaw
Dr.Ashebir Woldegiorgis
Esayas Jira
Dagim Melashen
Exco candidates
Sewnet Bishaw
Asrat Haile
Dr.Haile Eticha
Awol Ibrahim
Yoseph Tesfaye
Kemal Hassen
Dr.Chan Gatcot
Engineer Haileeyesus Fisshea
Sofia Almaw
Abdulrazak Hassen
Ibrahim Mohammed
Dr. Sirak Habtemariam
Alimira Mohammed
Zerhiun Kekbo
Woldegabriel Mezgebu
Abebe Gelagay
