FIFA has banned President of the Central African Republic Football Association, Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona who faces trial for war crimes in The Hague, Netherlands.
Mr Ngaïssona was banned for six years and eight months by FIFA ethics judges on Thursday, for charges including “discrimination and of failing to protect, respect or safeguard the integrity and human dignity.” He was fined 500,000 Swiss francs ($500,000).
Ngaïssona was president of Central African Republic FA for more than a decade since 2008. He was elected last year to the Confederation of African Football executive committee.
He is suspected of war crimes in 2013 and 2014 as leader of the Christian anti-Balaka militia which targeted Muslims.
In their written ruling, FIFA judges detailed suspected crimes in the CAR including summary executions, torture, sexual offences and destruction of mosques. Around 190,000 Muslim refugees fled to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad.
While he was allegedly committing war crimes, Ngaïssona was a member of FIFA’s panel organizing the Club World Cup. FIFA appointed him in 2017 to its member associations committee.
Ngaïssona was arrested last December in France and transferred to the Netherlands where the International Criminal Court is based.
A pre-trial hearing was held in September where Ngaïssona faced 111 charges. Judges are still weighing a decision whether to send Ngaïssona and another suspect to trial.