Mr. Ahmad Ahmad, the President of Confederation of African Football (CAF), African’s football governing body, has been sanctioned with a 5 years ban from all “football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level” after being found guilty of breaching FIFA Code of Ethics by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee.
The 60-year-old Malagasy assumed office as the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on 16th March, 2017.
His position also makes him a FIFA Vice President. Since his assumption of office, his four-year term has been clouded with allegations of financial wrongdoing and misconduct.
Mr. Ahmad was found guilty by the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee 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. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 200,000 (#83,754,093.14) was imposed on him.
However, Ahmad can appeal his sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) once he has received the full grounds for the decision, a process that can take up to 60 days.
Fifa released the following statement on the matter today:
“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.”
“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 organization 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 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.”
