Africa soccer boss released in France without charge

MARSEILLE: The president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad, held in a corruption probe, was released without charge in France on Friday, the Marseille public prosecutor said.

Prosecutor Xavier Tarabeux said Ahmad was arrested in Paris on Thursday and questioned as part of an inquiry opened on May 28 by Marseille investigators into corruption, breach of trust and forgery.

Ahmad was in Paris for the FIFA Congress ahead of the start of the Women’s World Cup. His confederation’s marquee event, the African Cup of Nations, kicks off in Egypt on June 21.

The French investigation concerns CAF’s breach, shortly after its signature in December 2017, of a contract with Puma to supply equipment and clothes to 580 volunteers at the 2018 African Nations Championship, an event for national teams restricted to African players with clubs on the continent.

CAF allegedly tore up the contract in favour of a better offer from a small French-based company which supplies Adidas gear, according to documents seen by AFP.