The embattled Ahmad Ahmad was suspended by FIFA Ethics Committee in November 2020, on grounds of ethical misconduct.
He was banned from all football related activities within the continent and international space which barred him from further parading self as president of CAF and a FIFA Vice-president.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports, the highest sports legal body, ruled last Friday, after 61-year-old Ahmad had appealed, issuing a preliminary decision suspending the effects of a five-year FIFA ban imposed on him.
"Due to a risk of irreparable harm for Mr Ahmad if the disciplinary sanction is maintained during the period prior to the Caf elections, the Cas panel has upheld the request to temporarily stay the effects of the [FIFA ban]," CAS said in a statement.
The ruling now empowers Mr Ahmad, howbeit temporarily, to take back office as CAF president. It also reinstates him as a FIFA vice president, but still, does not allow him stand for reelection at the upcoming CAF elections on March 12, in Rabat, Morocco.
He was banned from all football related activities within the continent and international space which barred him from further parading self as president of CAF and a FIFA Vice-president.
The Court of Arbitration for Sports, the highest sports legal body, ruled last Friday, after 61-year-old Ahmad had appealed, issuing a preliminary decision suspending the effects of a five-year FIFA ban imposed on him.
"Due to a risk of irreparable harm for Mr Ahmad if the disciplinary sanction is maintained during the period prior to the Caf elections, the Cas panel has upheld the request to temporarily stay the effects of the [FIFA ban]," CAS said in a statement.
The ruling now empowers Mr Ahmad, howbeit temporarily, to take back office as CAF president. It also reinstates him as a FIFA vice president, but still, does not allow him stand for reelection at the upcoming CAF elections on March 12, in Rabat, Morocco.
CAS already set March 2 for a final verdict on the decision which could lift all sanctions from Ahmad and allow him a chance at reelection or reinstate FIFA's hitherto ban from the game.
Ahmad, former Madagascar football chief will hope that the March 2 verdict be in his favour to allow him test current popularity against four other candidates who have already been ratified by CAF Governance and FIFA review committees.
CAF's governance committee met last Tuesday to approve the candidacy of four presidential hopefuls: long standing CAF, FIFA committee member and former president of Ivory Coast FA, Jacques Anouma; South African billionaire and owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, Patrice Motsepe; president of Senegal football federation, Agustin Senghor and Mauritania FA Chief, Ahmed Yahya.
They were all ratified by FIFA's review committee two days later, last Thursday.
Had the CAS decision which came on Friday, come in before the approval and ratification on Tuesday and Thursday by the two independent bodies, Ahmad may have been a consideration.
Although, his appeal at CAS was not to set aside his ineligibility for the election but the five-year ban from FIFA.
FIFA considered Ahmad to have broken code of ethical conduct on four grounds: breach of duty of loyalty; the offering and accepting gifts; abuse of position related to a decision to approve deals totaling $4.4m with a French company run by an acquaintance; misappropriation of funds related to financing of a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for Muslim FA presidents from CAF's purse.
In addition to the ban, he was also fined CHF200,000 Swiss Francs ($220,000)
Ahmad, former Madagascar football chief will hope that the March 2 verdict be in his favour to allow him test current popularity against four other candidates who have already been ratified by CAF Governance and FIFA review committees.
CAF's governance committee met last Tuesday to approve the candidacy of four presidential hopefuls: long standing CAF, FIFA committee member and former president of Ivory Coast FA, Jacques Anouma; South African billionaire and owner of Mamelodi Sundowns, Patrice Motsepe; president of Senegal football federation, Agustin Senghor and Mauritania FA Chief, Ahmed Yahya.
They were all ratified by FIFA's review committee two days later, last Thursday.
Had the CAS decision which came on Friday, come in before the approval and ratification on Tuesday and Thursday by the two independent bodies, Ahmad may have been a consideration.
Although, his appeal at CAS was not to set aside his ineligibility for the election but the five-year ban from FIFA.
FIFA considered Ahmad to have broken code of ethical conduct on four grounds: breach of duty of loyalty; the offering and accepting gifts; abuse of position related to a decision to approve deals totaling $4.4m with a French company run by an acquaintance; misappropriation of funds related to financing of a religious pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia for Muslim FA presidents from CAF's purse.
In addition to the ban, he was also fined CHF200,000 Swiss Francs ($220,000)
Macaulay Maduwuba
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