The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee 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 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.
Read also:Diego Maradona Has Passed Away At The Age Of 60.
Following the five years band placed on Ahmad Ahmad buy FIFA, President of CAF and Vice President of FIFA, Ahmad Ahmad on Tuesday 24th November 2020 announced that his counsels are filing an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in order to firmly contest the sentence pronounced by the Adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA ethics committee.
The team of Mr. Ahmad Ahmad found many irregularities in the process of the investigation. The Press release from the camp of the CAF President reads:
“Found guilty on different charges on Monday including Offering and accepting gifts among others, FIFA slammed a 5-year ban from exercising any activity related to football at national and international level as well as find off CHF 200,000 was pronounced by the Adjudicatory Chamber of FIFA Ethics Committee on Mr. Ahmad Ahmad.
“This decision was not rendered in a fair and impartial manner. During the months of investigation conducted by the Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee headed by Mrs. Maria Claudia Rojas against the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and its President, many surprising procedures have been noted.
“This, FIFA gave a mandate to the audit firm PWC to investigate the administration of African football even though this firm had been working for CAF and under mandate for the latter, thus creating a conflict of interest and a problem of obvious lack of impartiality. In addition, rumours about the possible involvement of FIFA in the work of the Ethics Committee have constantly resounded in the European and African press, Leaks of information relating to the ongoing procedure which is supposed to be strictly confidential and systematically unfavorable to the president Ahmad, have been made public through the press, preventing, in fact, a serene investigation from taking place. Even the hearing of President Ahmad, who was notably refused that the right to examine some of his witnesses during a hearing conducted at the presentation’s double pace, was not held according to the expected and usual standards.
“As a result of these irregularities, the facts were presented in a highly questionable manner by the Investigatory Chamber of the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee. Moreover, the latter hastened to issue an urgent and immediately enforceable decision without providing the grounds of the sentence despite its seriousness. The reason for such haste could be that this sentence would prevent President Ahmad from being re-elected to the presidency of CAF in the elections scheduled for March 2021, despite the many supporters already declared in favour.
“An Appeal will therefore be made before the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) to challenge this incomprehensible and shocking decision. Furthermore, he will request for the stay of the decision, so as not to aggravate the prejudice he is suffering, and allow him to campaign for his re-election to the Presidency of CAF.”
Ahmad did not respond to a request for a comment about his ban, which he has decided to appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. He is currently on medical leave after contracting the coronavirus.
Ahmad’s departure leaves four candidates to replace him when CAF holds its presidential elections on March 12. Until then, the organization will be run by its senior vice president, Constant Omari of Congo, who faces his own ethics investigation over a television deal that he and Ahmad revised in a way that appeared to have benefited CAF’s broadcast partners at a cost of millions of dollars to African soccer.
