A two-and-a-half-year ban and a CHF 20,000 fine have been suggested by FIFA after an investigation into Qatar official Saoud Al-Mohannadi. 

FIFA’s Ethics Committee has recommended a two-and-a-half-year ban from football for Qatar Football Association (QFA) vice-president Saoud Al-Mohannadi who is running against Ali Kaffashian as AFC candidate in FIFA’s Executive Committee. 

World football’s governing body has investigated the QFA official for an alleged failure to cooperate fully with a separate anti-corruption probe.

“The investigation against Mr Al-Mohannadi concerned his failure to properly cooperate and provide truthful information to the investigatory chamber in the framework of another investigation not related to the awarding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” a FIFA statement read.

“In his final report, the chief of the investigation recommends imposing a ban of no less than two years and six months and a fine of no less than CHF 20,000 on Mr Al-Mohannadi for an alleged violation of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting) and art. 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. 

“Until a formal decision is taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, the accused party is presumed innocent.”

Al-Mohannadi had been the general secretary of the QFA when its bid to host the 2022 World Cup was launched.

He had been approved as a candidate to run for a place on FIFA’s ruling council this month, having last year withdrawn from the race for the Executive Committee claiming he did not want to divide support for West Asian candidates.

Al-Mohannadi is the second Qatari official to be involved in a major corruption scandal involving FIFA. Mohammad Bin Hammam was banned for life for bribing his way to FIFA Presidency election in December 2012. Although FIFA was not forthcoming about the details of Al-Mohannadi’s misdemeanour, it is believed that the Vice President and the strongman of QFA has hidden documents, falsified records and used strong-arm tactics and direct threats against anyone revealing incriminating evidence that would have harmed QATAR hosting of the 2022 World Cup.