Ethiopian footballer

Yidnekatchew Tessema (Amharic: ይድነቃቸው ተሠማ; 11 September 1921 – 19 August 1987) was a footballer in Ethiopia.

Soccer career

He played for his school for five years, for the first Ethiopian soccer team, the St. George Club for 27 years. He played 27 times in international compe*ions. During the racially segregated footballing of the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, Yidnekachew translated the rules of soccer into Amharic language for the Native Sports Office. The year following the end of the occupation, Yidnekachew led the establishment of an official sports federation.

Tessema was a founding member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in the late 1950s. He served CAF as the deputy president between 1964 and 1972 and as the President between 1972 and 1987. He was also member of the African Sport Congress, International Olympics Committee, FIFA and President of the African Olympics Committee.

References

External links

• Yidnekatchew, obituary on St. George's FC website
• Tales of Arada an article by Yidenkachew Tessema