THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president, Ahmad Ahmad, has been banned for five years by FIFA for breaching various codes of ethics, according to a statement released by the global football body’s ethics committee on Monday.
The 60-year-old, who is also a vice-president of FIFA, was found guilty of breaching four separate articles of the organization’s ethics code, including abuse of office, misappropriation of funds and rules concerning the offering and acceptance of gifts.
Ahmad, has also been fined $200,000. He has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Ahmad – who announced his re-election bid as CAF president last month ahead of March’s elections – is also facing a separate ethics investigation by football’s world governing body.
He can appeal his sanction at the Court of Arbitration for Sport once he has received the full grounds for the decision, a process that can take up to 60 days.
Last month, Ahmad, the former head of Madagascar’s FA, announced his intention to go for a second term in office. His ban will disqualify him from standing for a new term early next year.
CAF, the governing body of African football, is one of FIFA’s six regional confederations. The latest scandal is a reminder that corruption continues to plague global soccer even at its most senior levels, analysts say.
Kola Tella
