Fifa presidential candidate Tokyo Sexwale, the anti-apartheid fighter turned African football money man
Sexwale served prison time with Nelson Mandela and became a tycoon and politician, but none of that has boosted his attempt to become the first African to head Fifa
Tokyo Sexwale served prison time with Nelson Mandela and became a tycoon and politician, but none of that has boosted his attempt to become the first African to head Fifa.
I wouldn’t call European football institutionally racist because racism is a direct act, but I think it is by omission
The 62-year-old has endured constant criticism of his campaign hoping to be carried to victory by the 54 votes of the African bloc.
He failed to secure the support of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and he may not even get South Africa’s vote in Friday’s election for the Fifa president.
Sexwale – pronounced seh-wa-le – is likely to see defeat as just a minor setback in his extraordinary life as a survivor of South Africa’s turbulent history.
Born in Johannesburg’s Soweto township, he became a radical student leader and earned his nickname ‘Tokyo’ for his love of karate.
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Sexwale joined the Umkhonto weSizwe armed wing of the African National Congress and underwent military training in Moscow in 1975.
