Dec 11 (Reuters) – African soccer’s governing body
(CAF) said it was “disappointed” that its president Issa Hayatou
has been reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) even though the Cameroonian admitted receiving payments
from a defunct firm at the heart of a corruption affair.
Hayatou told the IOC’s ethics commission that he was paid by
FIFA’s former marketing agency International Sport and Leisure
(ISL) in 1995. The IOC said such an action constituted a
conflict of interest and reprimanded him.
“President Hayatou never received the said sum for his
personal account and could not, therefore, use it for personal
needs. No conflict of interest, therefore, can be charged
against him,” CAF said in a statement on Sunday.
“It is recalled that the general principle of law, which is
binding on all, provides that the accused should be given the
benefit of doubt.
“CAF regrets that all documents and evidence provided were
not considered, even as its Executive Committee had approved the
donation as recorded in its minutes. Rejecting all these
documents demonstrate disrespect and lack of consideration of
the IOC towards the Pan-African institution.”
Hayatou was not an IOC member at the time the payment was
made and the decision on Thursday does not affect his duties or
rights within the IOC.
(Writing by Pritha Sarkar in London, editing by Mark Meadows)
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