Jennifer Ugwueke
The World’s football governing body, FIFA, has placed a five-year-ban on Confederation of African Football(CAF)President, Ahmad Ahmad over what it described as financial misconduct.
In a statement released on Monday, November 23, FIFA stated that the body’s adjudicatory chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee found him guilty of breaching of Article 15 (Duty of loyalty), Article 20 (Offering and accepting gifts or other benefits), and Article 25 (Abuse of position) of the 2020 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as well as Article 28 (Misappropriation of funds) of the 2018 edition,according to the body.
The statement reads in part: “The investigation into Mr Ahmad’s conduct in his position as CAF President during the period from 2017 to 2019 concerned various CAF-related governance issues, including the organisation and financing of an Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca, his involvement in CAF’s dealings with the sports equipment company Tactical Steel and other activities. “In its decision, following an extensive hearing, the adjudicatory chamber ruled that, based on information gathered by the investigatory chamber, Mr Ahmad had breached his duty of loyalty, offered gifts and other benefits, mismanaged funds and abused his position as the CAF President, pursuant to the FIFA Code of Ethics.”
Recall that Ahmad Ahmed CAF President was earlier arrested in June, 2019 financial and tax allegations. The 60-year-old was taken into custody by the authorities at his Berri Hotel room in Paris where he is currently attending FIFA congress. The former Madagascan football Chief was made to appear in front of the Central Office in the fight against corruption and financial and fiscal offences (OCLIF).
His arrest was linked with the contract single-handedly broken by CAF with German sportswear giants Puma to engage with the company Technical Steel, based in La Seyne-sur-Mer.
And the latest from FIFA means he will not have anything to do with football for the next five years.