CAS Arbitration Procedures Involving Candidates To Functions At CAF & FIFA

Press Release

9th March 2021

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) provides a summary of its procedures involving candidates from the African continent for football governance roles:

Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Presidential/Executive Committee Elections

TAS 2021/A/7723 Seidou Mbombo Njoya c. Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) Procedure ongoing. On 4 March 2021 the Deputy President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division rejected a request filed by Mr Seidou Mbombo Njoya (Cameroon) to stay the execution of the decision issued on 12 February 2021 by the CAF Governance Commission in which he was declared ineligible for election to the CAF Executive Committee. Accordingly, the decision is still in force. An expedited procedure is in progress and a final decision will be rendered by 11 March 2021, at the latest.

TAS 2021/A/7717 Mamadou Antonio Souaré c. Confédération Africaine de Football Procedure ongoing. On 4 March 2021 the Deputy President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division rejected a request filed by Mr Mamadou Antonio Souaré (Guinea) to stay the execution of the decisions issued by the CAF Governance Commission on 29 January 2021 and 12 February 2021 in which he was declared ineligible for election to the CAF Executive Committee. An expedited procedure is in progress and a final decision will be rendered by 11 March 2021, at the latest.

TAS 2020/A/7592 Ahmad Ahmad c. Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Final decision (disciplinary procedure) issued on 8 March 2021 (see separate media release). The CAS Panel partially upheld Mr Ahmad’s appeal against the decision taken by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee on 19 November 2020. Five-year suspension reduced to two years, commencing 8 March 2021, less the period of suspension already served. Fine of CHF 200,000 reduced to CHF 50,000. A separate appeal filed by Mr Ahmad against the decision of non-eligibility issued by the FIFA Review Committee is pending.

FIFA Council

TAS 2021/A/7678 Constant Omari c. FIFA Procedure ongoing. On 22 February 2021 the President of the CAS Appeals Arbitration Division rejected a request filed by Mr Constant Omari (DR Congo) to stay the execution of the decision issued on 26 January 2021 by the FIFA Review Committee in which he was declared ineligible for the position of FIFA Council member. Accordingly, the decision is still in force. The CAS arbitration is ongoing. No hearing date has been fixed yet.

CAS 2021/A/7685 Khireddine Zetchi v. FIFA Final decision issued on 5 March 2021. The appeal filed by Mr Khireddine Zetchi (Algeria) was upheld and the decision of the FIFA Review Committee dated 26 January 2021 in which Mr Zetchi was declared ineligible for the position of FIFA Council member was set aside.

Tuesday, 09 March 2021