FIFA imposes life bans on two ex-African officials

Paris, France — Former Zimbabwe Football Association official Jonathan Musavengana and ex-Togo coach Banna Tchanile have been barred from all football-related activity for life by FIFA’s ethics committee on Thursday for corruption.

The bans handed down by world football’s governing body relate to a number of international friendly matches played in South Africa in 2010.

In addition, Kirsten Nematandani, the former president of the South African Football Association (SAFA), was given a five-year ban.

A statement on Thursday from the world governing body’s adjudicatory chamber, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, said: “Mr. Nematandani was found guilty of having violated art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 15 (Loyalty) and art. 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting) of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE) and was sanctioned with a ban from taking part in any football-related activities for five years.

“Furthermore, the adjudicatory chamber decided that Mr. Musavengana and Mr. Tchanile had both infringed art. 13 and art. 21 (Bribery and corruption) of the FCE and imposed a life ban on the two former officials.”

Four former SAFA officials were suspended in October 2015 and March 2016 in the same affair.