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Farah Addo has had his ban from international football lifted |
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has lifted a 10-year ban on former Somali football chief Farah Addo by personal decree.
The head of world football's governing body lifted the suspension following a discussion regarding the situation at the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Addo was fined and suspended from international football by Fifa in 2004 after being found guilty of corruption.
He was alleged to have taken thousands of dollars provided to the Somalia Football Federation (SFF) by Fifa.
In a letter sent to Addo, who was also the chairman of the Somalia Olympic Committee and a former vice-president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Blatter said he had accepted an appeal for clemency from the former Somali football boss.
"During our brief discussion (at the Nations Cup), you asked me, in my capacity as Fifa president, for a pardon in the unfortunate situation that led to your ban from taking part in any football-related activities for 10 years; as decided by the Fifa Disciplinary Commitee on 20 July 2004," said Blatter.
Blatter has used his presidential power to lift Addo's ban |
"With this in mind, I take pleasure in informing you herewith that your ban has indeed been lifted by presidential decision, with immediate effect."
Addo was fined US$40,000 when he was found to have diverted funds provided to the SFF as part of Fifa's financial assistance programme.
Addo, a fierce critic of Blatter during his campaign for the Fifa presidency, was first suspended for two years in 2002 after media reports quoted him saying that some African delegates were offered bribes to support Blatter.
Addo resigned from all his posts after he was suspended.
Source: BBC, April 08, 2008