He has been sanctioned with a ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international levels for five years, a statement on the FIFA website said on Monday.

In addition, Mr Ahmad, former president of the Madagascar Football Association, has been fined 200,000 Swiss francs.

Neither Mr Ahmad nor CAF has reacted to the ban.

Under FIFA rules, Mr Ahmad can appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) once he has received the full grounds for the ban.

He is one of the candidates who have announced their intention to contest the CAF elections that will be held in March 2021.

The FIFA statement said the adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee found him 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.

It said “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.”

The statement said the terms of the decision were notified to Mr Ahmad on Monday, 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 legal.fifa.com,” it said. (PANA/NAN)