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CAF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: CAS SET TO DECIDE AHMAD’S ELIGIBILITY

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As the countdown begins to the CAF Elections holding in Rabat Morocco on 12 March, the eligibility Ahmad for reelection as president will be decided this Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sports, CAS.

Sports Village Square recalls that on 19 November 2020, the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee slammed a five-year ban on Ahmad, the controversial president of the confederation. That removed him as president and also effectively ruled him out for reelection.

But upon appeal to CAS, Ahmad got a reprieve as he was provisionally reinstated as CAF president. CAS explained that it took the decision due to a risk of irreparable harm for Ahmad if the disciplinary sanction is maintained during the period to CAF elections.

The decision is however temporary as Sports Village Square learnt from CAS that this Tuesday 2 March has been set aside for expedited hearing of the case.

Press release by CAS on Ahmad

That was done in agreement with Ahmad and FIFA for a hearing date for 2 March 2021 (with a reserve day on 3 March 2021). The CAS Panel in charge of the matter intends to render a final award shortly after the hearing, before 12 March, the date for the CAS elections.

 It was however gathered by Sports Village Square that CAS emphasized that the temporary decision it has taken does not in any way prejudge the decision it will take after analysing the merits of the case, once the written proceedings and the hearing have been completed.

On the other hand, the arbitral Panel has rejected the request for provisional measures filed by Ahmad seeking that an order be imposed preventing FIFA from taking any decision aimed at preventing Ahmad from participating in, or aimed at making it difficult for him to participate in, the election for the CAF presidency.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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