FIFA SLAPS SEVERE SANCTIONS ON CARIBBEAN AND MALDIVES OFFICIALS

FIFA has slapped severe penalties on four football officials from the Caribbean and the Maldives.

A press release issued by FIFA’s Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber) said, “Following proceedings before the independent FIFA Ethics Committee, the adjudicatory chamber has sanctioned four individuals as a result of their conduct whilst serving in football.”

Former Montserrat Football Association(MFA) president, Vincent Cassell, has been banned for life by FIFA plus a hefty fine of Swiss CHF 1,000,000 (US$1.2 million), with his general secretary, Tandica Hughes, handed a 15-year ban plus a penalty of Swiss CHF 150,000 (US$183,00), both for activities deemed to be inconsistent with their FIFA roles.

It said Cassell was handed “a lifetime ban on taking part in any (FIFA)football-related activity and ordered to pay the fine for abuse of position, systematic conflicts of interest, misuse of FIFA and MFA funds, and conduct affecting the physical and mental integrity of MFA staff members.”

Former MFA general secretary Tandica Hughes was banned from “taking part in any football-related activity for 15 years and fined for personally benefiting from and facilitating improper transactions involving FIFA and MFA resources, including undue benefits, abuse of positions, and misuse of FIFA and MFA funds.”

Regarding the Maldives, the former president of the Football Association of the Maldives, Bassam Adeel Jaleel, received a lifetime ban from taking part in any (FIFA)football-related activity and was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 1,000,000 (US$1.2 million) for misusing FIFA COVID-19 Relief Plan funds for his personal benefit.

The former FAM director of finance and administration, Mohamed Ageel, was banned from any (FIFA)football-related activity for ten years and ordered to pay a fine of CHF 100,000 (US$122,00) for facilitating and concealing the misuse of FIFA funds using falsified documentation and failing to cooperate with FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee.