Patrice Edouard Ngaissona will be absent from football governance for the foreseeable future, following a lengthy ban imposed by the FIFA Ethics Chamber. The former president of the Central African Football Federation has been prohibited from participating in any football-related activities for six years and eight months.
The sanction comes after an investigation determined that Ngaissona violated multiple articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics (2018 edition), including Article 14, concerning the duty of neutrality; Article 22, related to discrimination and defamation; and Article 23, regarding the protection of physical and mental integrity.
Ngaissona’s case is intertwined with serious legal matters outside football. He faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity stemming from his involvement in the Central African Republic civil war, which occurred between December 2013 and December 2014. Arrested in December 2018, he is currently on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During the period in question, Ngaissona held significant positions within football administration. He was a member of the FIFA Club World Cup Organising Committee and, in 2017, was appointed to FIFA’s Member Associations Committee. His actions, however, were found to be incompatible with the ethical standards expected of officials in these roles.
In addition to the suspension, Ngaissona was fined 500,000 Swiss francs as part of his punishment. The ban and fine reflect FIFA’s commitment to enforcing ethical conduct and maintaining the integrity of football governance, particularly when officials are implicated in serious crimes or misconduct.
With this ruling, Ngaissona is effectively barred from influencing football matters at both national and international levels for the duration of his suspension, while legal proceedings continue at the ICC.
