FIFA vice president and CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad has been arrested in France, the football governing body confirmed on Thursday.
Ahmad was arrested at his hotel in Paris, where global chiefs have gathered this week for FIFA’s annual congress and the start of the Women’s World Cup.
His time in charge of the Egyptian-based organisation, however, has been dogged by controversy and he is already the subject of a FIFA ethics committee investigation. Thursday’s arrest is understood to relate to bribery allegations linked to the 2017 switch CAF made from its German kit supplier Puma to French company Tactical Steel.
In a statement, FIFA said it “has taken note of the alleged events concerning Mr Ahmad Ahmad, who is being questioned by the French authorities in relation to allegations related to his mandate while president of CAF, any information that might be relevant to investigations taking place within its ethics committee”.