Lausanne (AFP)
The Fifa Ethics Commission suspended the President of the African Confederation Ahmad Ahmad for five years, fining him in addition 200,000 Swiss francs (185,000 euros), in particular for embezzlement.
The 60-year-old Madagascan leader, at the head of African football since March 2017 and candidate for a second term, was also placed in police custody on suspicion of corruption in June 2019 in Paris.
FIFA internal justice, of which Ahmad Ahmad is vice-president, found that the head of the African Confederation "had failed in his duty of loyalty, granted gifts and other benefits, inappropriately managed funds and abused of his function as president of CAF, "said the body on Monday in a statement.
The investigation by the Ethics Commission "focused on various issues related to the governance of CAF, including the organization and financing of a pilgrimage to Mecca, its connections with the sports equipment company Tactical Steel and other activities, "according to Fifa.
The grievances of the instance will be detailed in the full decision, published within sixty days on the Fifa website.
Ahmad Ahmad, who has temporarily abandoned his post after being struck down by the coronavirus, is therefore banned for five years "from any activity relating to football", at national and international levels, and may appeal against this suspension to the Arbitral Tribunal of sport.
This former football coach and politician, who was Secretary of State for Sport and Minister of Fisheries in Madagascar, announced at the end of October that he would seek a second term at the head of CAF in March 2021.
In the summer of 2019, Ahmad Ahmad asked for help from Fifa to supervise his organization, weakened by several controversies and governance problems.
Fifa No. 2 Fatma Samoura had notably carried out a six-month mandate but this one, which aimed to accelerate the reform process within the body, had not been renewed in early February 2020.
In addition, dismissed in April 2019, CAF secretary general Amr Fahmy sent a letter to FIFA in which he accused Mr. Ahmad of corruption - payment of bribes to several leaders, personal use of funds from the CAF - and sexual harassment against several Confederation employees.
© 2020 AFP