FIFA Bans Mongolian Football President for Taking Bribes

FIFA, soccer’s world governing body, on Wednesday banned Mongolian football chief Ganbold Buyannemekh for five years for taking bribes to vote for former Qatari official Mohamed bin Hammam in an election for the world body.

In a statement, FIFA said the Mongolian would be barred from “any kind of football-related activity at national and international level” during the period of punishment.

A FIFA statement read: “Mr Buyannemekh solicited and accepted payments [from Mr Mohamed bin Hammam] in the context of the elections for the FIFA Executive Committee at the AFC Congress in 2009 as well as the FIFA presidential election in 2011.

“He was found guilty for violations of art. 13 (General rules of conduct), art. 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), art. 19 (Conflicts of interest), art. 20 (Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits), art. 21 (Bribery and corruption), and art. 42 (General obligation to collaborate) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

“The ban is effective as from 15 October 2014, the date on which the present decision was notified.”