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FIFA reacts to arrrest of CAF president

By Solomon Fowowe
06 June 2019   |   7:48 pm
Football's governing body, FIFA said it is unaware of the details on the investigation involving the CAF president Ahmad Ahmad. Ahmad, who is also a FIFA vice president, was arrested by French authorities on Thursday morning at a hotel in Paris over allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation. "FIFA is unaware of the details surrounding…

Football’s governing body, FIFA said it is unaware of the details on the investigation involving the CAF president Ahmad Ahmad.

Ahmad, who is also a FIFA vice president, was arrested by French authorities on Thursday morning at a hotel in Paris over allegations of corruption and financial misappropriation.

“FIFA is unaware of the details surrounding this investigation and is therefore not in a position to make any comment on it specifically,” the football body said in a press statement.

FIFA requested useful information from the French authorities for its internal investigation within the Ethics Committee. Former CAF secretary general, Amy Fahmy, who was sacked, submitted a document that accused Ahmad of bribes and corruption to a FIFA investigations committee in March.

Fahmy accused Ahmad of misappropriation involving a French company called Tactical Steel. He said the CAF president cost the body additional $830,000 by ordering equipment through Tactical Steel.

“FIFA is asking the French authorities for any information that might be relevant to investigations taking place within its Ethics Committee.

“As a matter of due process, everyone has the right to the presumption of innocence, but as the FIFA President reiterated yesterday, FIFA is fully committed to eradicating all forms of wrongdoing at any level in football. Anyone found to have committed illicit or illegal acts has no place in football.

“FIFA is now clean from the scandals that tarnished its reputation and this same determination should prevail in governing bodies such as confederations. FIFA will be at the forefront of ensuring that this is enforced by everyone involved in football.

Ahmad was in Paris for the FIFA Congress, where FIFA President Gianni Infantino was re-elected. He will be replaced by the first vice president, Amaju Pinnick. The Nigeria Football president will act in his stead for a transitional period of not more than four months before convening an Extraordinary General Assembly elects a new president.

 

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