By Amaechi Agbo

World football governing body, FIFA has banned Confederation of Africa Football, CAF President five years from all football related activities, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

FIFA Handed the ban Monday 23 November 2020.

Ahmad Ahmad is due to contest for a second term in office as CAF President when election holds on 21 March next year.

Ahmad was found guilty by FIFA’s Adjudicatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee of violating four sections of professional conduct bothering on corruption, gratification among others.

“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,” FIFA said on Monday

“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.

“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.”

Ahmad in October announced his decision to recontest for the CAF Presidency.

Ahmad’s official confirmation of his candidacy came in the wake of an endorsement by an 46 member associations of CAF.

“The CAF knew a lot of improvements for 4 years. I’m proud of my team’s achievements. I extend my thanks and gratitude for your support and assistance in the football in Africa and beyond. After reflection and consultation process, I decided to stand for re-election,” Ahmad wrote on Twitter.

Ahmad, CAF’s seventh president, was elected in March 2017 after defeating long-serving president Issa Hayatou, who had been in office for 29 years. He took over with a promise to modernise the confederation and make it more transparent.

Last month, CAF released a timeline of events leading up to the elections. Interested individuals will be allowed to submit their candidature between September 11 and November 12.

On January 11, CAF is expected to communicate the names of the successful candidates to all the national associations ahead of the vote in March.

The CAF Elective General Assembly 2021 is to be held on March 12 next year in Rabat, Morocco.

Ahmad who have been in isolation after being diagnosed with Coronvirus last month but had left hospital earlier this November has not issued a statement on the ban.

It is hoped, however, that he might go for appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS to seek redress.