The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has lined up an all-year-long series of activities to celebrate its 50th anniversary. A programme drawn up by the continental body is pregnant with activities aimed at paying tribute to those who played various roles since the creation of the organization on February 8, 1957 in Khartoum, Sudan. The CAF founding members are Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa and some football related activities have been lined up in these countries as part of the celebrations. Suleiman Habuba, head of CAF’s Communications and Public Relations Department told the GNA Sports that the outfit will return to its birth place in Khartoum to hold its 28th General Assembly from February 10-12. The General Assembly is the supreme authority of CAF that defines the organization’s general policies. A friendly match between Egypt and Sweden will be played on February 7 in Cairo to raise funds for charity whilst Ethiopia will host the 2006 Super Cup final slated for February 18. The competition is between Al Ahly ( Egypt) winners of the CAF MTN Champions League and Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia), which won the CAF Confederation Cup. South Africa will have their fair share of the activities when the All CAF Standing Committees’ descend there once again to visit one of its “founding members”. CAF in collaboration with Glonacom will similarly reward the ten best African players in the last 50 years during its annual Awards Nights ceremony billed for December 2007. Other CAF national associations are mandated to organize special gala matches with proceeds going to charity outfits of their choice. Habuba said the associations are also tasked to select the best footballers over the last 50 years in each country for CAF to award them with diplomas and medals. The National Associations will nominate and present an award to one person deemed to have been most influential in the development of football to receive a special recognition from CAF. The Federation will also present 50 diplomas to those who have served and helped the development of football on the continent in a pool that include former players, referees, coaches, administrators, Journalists and sponsors, he added. Meanwhile CAF has said it has no hand in the selection of players for its annual Player of the Year awards. CAF has been bombarded with criticism for leaving out Egyptian Mohammed Aboutrika in final short list of players for the annual Awards ceremony scheduled for March 1 in Ghana. Ghana’s Michael Essien, Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o Fils and Ivorian Didier Drobga are the trio who will be competing for the topmost award. He told the GNA Sports “our duty as an association ended with the selection of all 35 potential players for the award. “To make it among the last three is determined by all 52 national coaches.” He said after the Technical and Media Committees of CAF had selected the initial 35, national coaches were mandated to vote for their best three to contest for the ultimate during the ceremony. CAF, according to Habuba, lacks the right to determine who must make the final shortlist. “We are only the mother organization and we lack the right to determine who must make the final list. “Our job after the voting is solely on publishing the outcome.” Source GNA