LEAD: FIFA bans CAF President Ahmad for five years; fines him 200,000 Swiss francs
Zurich, Switzerland (PANA) - Football's governing body, FIFA, has banned Ahmad Ahmad, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and a FIFA Vice-President, for five years for breaching some of its codes.
He has been sanctioned with a ban from all football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level for five years, a statement on the FIFA website on Monday said.
In addition, Mr Ahmad, former president of the Madagascar Football Association, has been fined 200,000 Swiss francs.
Neither Mr Ahmad nor CAF has reacted to the ban.
Under FIFA rules, Mr Ahmad can appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) once he has received the full grounds for the decision.
He is one of the candidates who have announced their intention to contest the CAF elections that will be held in March 2021.
The FIFA statement said the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee found him guilty of having breached art. 15 (Duty of loyalty), art. 20 (Offering and accepting gifts or other benefits) and art. 25 (Abuse of position) of the 2020 edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as well as art. 28 (Misappropriation of funds) of the 2018 edition.
It said "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.
"Consequently, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Ahmad had breached arts 15, 20 and 25 of the current edition of the FIFA Code of Ethics, as well as art. 28 of the 2018 edition, and sanctioned him with a ban from all football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level for five years. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 200,000 has been imposed on Mr Ahmad."
The statement said the terms of the decision were notified to Mr Ahmad on Monday, the date on which the ban comes into force.
"In accordance with art. 78 par. 2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, the full, motivated decision will be notified to Mr Ahmad in the next 60 days, after which it will be published on legal.fifa.com," it said.
-0- PANA MA 23Nov2020
