SAN FRANCISCO, November 27, (THEWILL) – Embattled Ahmad Ahmad, the banned Confederation of African Football (CAF) President has confirmed his decision to appeal the five-year ban slammed on him at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
On Monday, November 23, World Football governing body, FIFA, announced the ban citing financial misconduct and the breaching of four acts of the FIFA Code of Conduct.
However, the 60-year-old Malagasy national, in a post on Twitter, claimed his ban was an attack on African football.
“I challenge the sanction that has been imposed. Beyond my case, it is the self-determination of football in Africa that is under attack.”
FIFA’s investigations found Ahmad, whose position at CAF also made him a FIFA Vice President, guilty of breaching his duty of loyalty, offering gifts and other benefits to cronies, and mismanaging funds.
But, in a press statement, Ahmad stated that the decision by FIFA to ban him, was not done in a ‘fair and impartial manner’. He is therefore requesting CAS to stay the decision to ban him for five years “so as not to aggravate the prejudice he is suffering, and allow him to campaign for his re-election.”
Ahmad was on an election campaign drive seek re-election in next year’s CAF Presidential elections. That bid now lies in tatters as he may be rendered ineligible due to the decision by FIFA.
His team also released a statement claiming that FIFA’s decision was probably made in a bid to prevent him from being re-elected as CAF president in the 2021 elections.
Meanwhile, CAF has announced that the Congolese Mr Constant Selemani Omari’s position as interim President of the Confederation has been extended until the elections are held and a new President is elected.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
