Why the boss of African football Ahmad was summoned by French investigators



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Ahmad has been president of the African Football Confederation since March 2017.

A joint investigation by BBC Sport Africa and the Norwegian magazine Josimar may reveal some of the context that has prompted one of the most prominent figures in world football to be questioned by the French authorities. He was interrogated in Paris last week, but was not arrested or charged.

At the heart of the society is an underrated society that President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmad, presented to his organization. The French company Tactical Steel has become a key supplier of equipment for Caf, including for this year 's Africa Cup of Nations, though it does not appear to offer much of a chance. football equipment on his website.

Since documents were leaked earlier this year, an agreement reached in 2017 – the year of entry into office of Ahmad – between Caf and the French company Tactical Steel, allowed to monitor the role of the president of Caf.

The December 2017 transaction was notable as Caf canceled an order of 210,217 euros ($ 248,055) from the Puma sportswear company to take an alternative order with Tactical Steel for 1,015,313. dollars. The Puma offer included a 60% discount.

Caf had decided to switch to a different sports brand, but it could not apparently be obtained in time by a local manufacturer, hence the appointment of Tactical Steel.

The move to an unknown new provider has attracted attention.

Coffee initiates believe it is unusual for the African Football Federation to purchase sports equipment through a third party, rather than deal directly with major sports product manufacturers, as was common in the world. past.

The media reported that the orders – providing soccer balls and kits for the African Nations Championship (Chan) in Morocco in January 2018 – were identical, but BBC Sport Africa and its Norwegian colleague Josimar learned that this was not the case.

Ahmad told us that the agreement with Puma covered 13,378 unbranded items and the one with Tactical Steel on 35,460 branded items, but the documents we saw suggested that the difference between orders was much smaller: the agreement with Puma was worth more than 15,000 and more. tactical steel for just over 22,000.

When BBC Sport Africa asked him if Fifa's 59-year-old vice president had canceled the Puma deal and personally approved one with Tactical Steel, a statement from Ahmad's public relations firm said: "These accusations are totally false, malicious and defamatory.

"They are part of a vendetta initiated by a former senior employee of Caf against Caf and his president."

Ahmad spokesman said that it was the administration of the Caf, and not Ahmad as president, who had withheld and negotiated equipment prices with Tactical Steel .

They also said that the Tactical Steel agreement was spread over several years and "not just for Chan 2018".

A member of the Caf Executive Committee stated that the proper procedure had not been followed.

"The first time the words Tactical Steel were mentioned to the Executive Committee was by me [in April 2019]when I reported that there was this company, to which we hired and paid a huge amount of money, and that the Executive Committee was totally unaware, "said Musa Bility.

"Apart from that, nothing shows that [is] any presentation in terms of recommendation of the Finance Committee to the Executive Committee regarding Tactical Steel ", said the Liberian to BBC Sport Africa.

Who are the tactical steel?

Based in La Seyne-sur-Mer, near Toulon, in the south of France, Tactical Steel was registered with the French authorities in 2016 and is specialized in the manufacture of gymnastic equipment.

The Tactical Steel website highlights its role in the manufacture and supply of gymnastic equipment

No mention of its partnership with Caf is made on the Tactical Steel website