FIFA bans CAF President Ahmad for five years over corruption

World football governing body, the Federation of International Football Associations, has banned Confederation of African Football head Ahmad Ahmad for five years following charges of misappropriation of funds.

Ahmad, who is seeking a second term in office after taking over from Issa Hayatou in 2017, had been under investigation for months.

In a press release on its official website on Monday, FIFA said its adjudicatory chamber found Ahmad, who is from Madagascar, guilty of breaching the body’s Code of Ethics.

“The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has found Ahmad Ahmad, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and a FIFA Vice-President, 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,” FIFA stated.

The world body then gave details of Ahmad’s misdemeanours that led to the long ban.

“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,” FIFA explained.

“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.”

FIFA also accused Ahmad of breaching several articles of the organisation, making his position untenable. He has also been issued with a fine along with the lengthy ban.

“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,” FIFA added.

“The terms of the decision were notified to Mr Ahmad today, 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.”

The ban means that Ahmad’s bid for a second term is effectively over and he might never return to high-level football administration.