Hayatou last week escaped serious punishment after being reprimanded by the IOC for his involvement in an alleged corruption scandal. Hayatou and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack, who was handed a warning, had been brought in front of the IOC’s Ethics Commission after admitting receiving payments from FIFA’s former marketing partner ISL. The Swiss firm collapsed in 2001 with debts of around US$300 million.
FIFA Executive Committee member Hayatou admitted he had received 100,000 French francs in cash from ISL in 1995 for the 40th anniversary celebrations of the CAF. Hayatou was not an IOC member at the time of the payment, but was already serving on the FIFA Executive Committee. In its judgement, the Ethics Commission said Hayatou had placed himself in a conflict of interest situation in accepting money from ISL, but ruled that the payment did not constitute a bribe. The CAF chief will continue as a full IOC member, but along with his reprimand he was reminded “of his obligation to respect the Olympic Charter and the IOC Code of Ethics”.
In a statement released on Friday, CAF vice-president Almamy Kabele Camara expressed his disappointment with the IOC verdict. The statement read: “President Hayatou never received the said sum for his personal account and could not, therefore, use it for personal needs. No conflict of interest, therefore, can be charged against him. It is recalled that the general principle of law, which is binding on all, provides that the accused should be given the benefit of doubt.”
The statement added: “CAF regrets that all documents and evidence provided were not considered, even as its Executive Committee had approved the donation as recorded in its minutes. Rejecting all these documents demonstrate disrespect and lack of consideration of the IOC towards the Pan-African institution.”
