Yidnekatchew Tessema

Yidnekatchew Tessema was an Ethiopian professional footballer who played as a striker.

football career

He played for his school for five years, for the first Ethiopian football team, the St. George Club for 27 years. He played 27 times in international competitions. During the racially segregated footballing of the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, Yidnekatchew translated the rules of football into Amharic language for the Native Sports Office. The year following the end of the occupation, Yidnekatchew led the establishment of an official sports federation.
Tessema was a founding member of the Confederation of African Football 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 Olympic Committee, FIFA and President of the African Olympics Committee.