Fresh FIFA ban, fine for Amos Adamu

In continuation of the ongoing crackdown on corruption in world football, the Fifa Ethics Committee has recommended a two-year ban for former executive member Amos Adamu.

Adamu, 63, made the headlines for the wrong reasons in 2009 after he was hit with a three-year ban from all football-related activities for accepting bribes in the award of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and 2022 tournament to Qatar.

Despite serving the punishment, who is the first Nigerian to sit on the esteemed Fifa Executive Committee, now faces another two-year suspension and 20,000 Swiss franc fine ($19,445) over his unethical conduct, a Fifa statement said Tuesday.

This follows further investigation into Adamu that began in March last year as the searchlight was turned on Fifa over allegations of wide-spread corruption.

Ethics Committee chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert decided to open proceedings after a final report was passed to its adjudicatory chamber earlier this month recommending he be sanctioned.

World football’s governing body declined to make further clarification on the case “for reasons linked to privacy rights and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty”.

Adamu, a former Director-General of the defunct National Sports Commission and President of the West African Football Union (WAFU), was until his fall seen by many as a likely successor to long-time CAF President Issa Hayatou.