CAF: CAS "temporarily suspends" sanctions against Ahmad, who can campaign

The president of CAF, the Malagasy Ahmad Ahmad, here on January 29, 2019 in Abidjan.

REUTERS / Thierry Gouegnon

Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow

3 min

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) indicates, in a statement published Friday, January 29, that the appeal lodged by Ahmad Ahmad against his suspension by Fifa will be examined on March 2.

And a decision will be made "before March 12".

In the meantime, the effects of his suspension have been lifted.

The Madagascan leader is thus still in the race to try to regain the presidency of the African Football Confederation (CAF).

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The race for the presidency of CAF is experiencing a new twist.

Deprived for five years of any football-related activity on November 19, by decision of the Ethics Commission of the International Football Federation (Fifa), and fined 200,000 Swiss francs (or 185,000 euros) for corruption and breaches of his duties,

Ahmad Ahmad

is not yet out of the game.

The Malagasy leader, who appealed to the CAS at the end of November, received a first favorable opinion on Friday, January 29.

In a press release, the CAS indicates that it has " 

implemented an accelerated procedure

 " for the examination of the Ahmad case: it will look into it on March 2.

And he will make his decision " 

before March 12

 ".

A date not trivial, since that day, the elections for the presidency of CAF must take place in Rabat (Morocco).

Ahmad rejected by Fifa, then temporarily accepted by CAS 48 hours later

It was also one of Ahmad Ahmad's requests

when entering the CAS

 : the Malagasy asked for a " 

suspensive effect

 " of the sanctions of Fifa, so that he can " 

campaign for his re-election

 " .

On this point, the CAS goes in its direction: the Swiss authority " 

temporarily suspends the effects

 " of the decision of Fifa, " 

in particular because of a risk of irreparable damage for Mr. Ahmad in the event of maintenance of the sanction disciplinary

 ”.

Ahmad Ahmad can thus campaign.

This provisional agreement falls only 48 hours after

Fifa's decision to invalidate three candidacies

 : those of Ahmad Ahmad precisely, as well as of Constant Omari and Kheïreddine Zetchi.

In its press release, the CAS recalls that " 

this provisional decision in no way prejudged what it will decide in the substantive analysis

 " of this case.

Fallen Ahmad Ahmad saw the Congolese Constant Omari succeed him by interim at the head of CAF.

Four figures were launched in the presidential race on March 12: the Ivorian Jacques Anouma, the South African Patrice Motsepe, the Senegalese Augustin Senghor, and the Mauritanian Ahmed Yahya.

Without forgetting, therefore, Ahmad Ahmad.

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