[3] The 46 year old Jira, who was backed as the candidate from the Oromia region, won 87 of 145 votes by the general assembly which had taken place in Semera, Ethiopia.

[3] In April 2021, the federation announced it had renewed its contract with British sportswear maker Umbro, extending the agreement another four years.

[6] Women's football has gained more popularity in recent years in Ethiopia with the Ethiopian national team having only made its debut in September 2002 in the 2002 African Championship's qualifiers.

In January 2008, dissatisfied with the "dismal" record of Ethiopian football, the General Assembly fired Dr. Ashebir Woldegiorgis, the head of the EFF, who refused to step down.

As a result, the Ethiopia-Morocco match scheduled for 5–7 September was canceled, and Ethiopia kicked out of the qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Sahlu afterwards announced his priority as president was to heal the rift in the country over this sport, and to "facilitate a renaissance in Ethiopian football.