Former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi has been handed a lifetime ban by the world football’s governing body Fifa on Tuesday.
The 49-year-old, who recently celebrated his birthday, was the centre of attention in an undercover investigate work by Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger PI Crew in June.
The former Fifa Council member was caught on tape accepting a huge sum of dollars as gift which goes against the association’s code of ethics. He also unscrupulously registered a company called NAMAX as an agency, which would have siphoned about 25 per cent of a sponsorship money meant for Ghana Premier League clubs.
“The adjudicatory chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee has banned Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi, former president of the Ghana Football Association for life from all football-related activities,” a statement from Fifa read.
“The adjudicatory chamber found Mr. Nyantakyi guilty of having violated art. 19 (Conflict of interest), art 21 (Bribery and corruption), and art 22 (Commission) of Fifa code of Ethics. As a consequence, Mr. Nyantakyi is banned for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or other) at both national and international level. Additionally, a fine of CHF 500,000 has been imposed on Mr. Nyantakyi.
“The decision was notified to Mr. Nyantakyi today, and the ban comes into force immediately,” the statement added.
Nyantakyi rose to fame in 2005 after becoming the acting Ghana FA president following the resignation of Dr. Nyaho-Nyaho Tamakloe. He was in his third term of office and reports suggested he was planning to contest for another term.