Audio By Carbonatix
FIFA has begun disciplinary proceedings against three senior members of Congo-Brazzaville's football federation, Fecofoot.
They include Fecofoot president, Jean-Guy Mayolas, who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment, along with his wife and son, after being convicted of embezzling funds provided by the world governing body.
Mayolas and his family were tried in absentia, with their whereabouts currently unknown.
The Brazzaville criminal court found Mayolas, Fecofoot general secretary Wantete Badji and the federation's treasurer Raoul Kanda guilty of money laundering, forgery, use of forged documents and embezzlement on 10 March.
Badji and Kanda received five-year prison sentences, while all three men are now being investigated for financial misconduct after FIFA's ethics committee said it received "information and documents" during a review.
In a statement, FIFA listed forgery, conflicts of interest and offering and accepting gifts among the charges.
The criminal trial alleged that $1.3m (£950,000) in FIFA funds had been misappropriated, with the bulk of that money earmarked for a training centre, women's football, and Covid relief.
A declaration signed by the presidents of every women's club in the country's top flight, sent to Congolese authorities, insisted that only a tiny percentage was ever paid out.
This is not the first time Mayolas and Bandji have fallen foul of a FIFA investigation, having received six-month bans in 2015 for breaking rules around gifts and benefits. Mayolas was Fecofoot vice president at the time.
FIFA suspended Fecofoot in February last year for political interference, following the Congolese government's dismissal of Mayolas.
The national team was forced to forfeit two 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Tanzania.
The ban was lifted in May after certain conditions were met, including the return of full control of the federation's headquarters and other facilities to Fecofoot's executive committee.
Latest Stories
-
Let The Constitution direct Chieftaincy to deliver “All Development Is Local”
25 minutes -
Ghana explores centre of excellence for hearing, communication and cochlear implant care
2 hours -
Schizophrenia-related disorders lead mental health cases recorded in Ghana
2 hours -
Dutch authorities enlist Ghana in hunt for fugitive drug lord Bolle Jos
3 hours -
Ghana housing finance conference adopts communiqué to improve affordable housing access
7 hours -
Special Initiatives Minister urges Wa Technical Institute to enrol more girls as EU-backed solar training lab opens
7 hours -
In the matter of my first year at the Bar
8 hours -
ActionAid Ghana calls for an end to child marriage, greater investment in girls’ rights
8 hours -
Newsfile to tackle World Cup visa scandal, beach demolitions, education strikes, BRICS bid
8 hours -
UK-Ghana Trade & Investment Summit: Trade Resource Centre to help businesses maximise UK-Ghana trade opportunities
8 hours -
Embassy of Denmark celebrates World Maritime Day
8 hours -
Linking LEAP to productive inclusion could cut extreme poverty by 2030 – UNICEF
10 hours -
Trade Ministry backs use of creative arts to rehabilitate prison inmates
10 hours -
Negotiations with government to continue despite strike suspension – GNAT
10 hours -
‘Ghana cannot afford to waste public resources; every cedi has a job’ – Ato Forson
10 hours