Partners In CRIME? -FIFA Request To Be Co-defendant To CAF In Legal Battle -As Bility Highlights ‘Sinister Maneuvering’

FIFA, world football’s governing body, has applied to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) to become a co-defendant with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which is being sued by Liberia’s Musa Hassan Bility, who was recently banned for 10 years by FIFA’s Ethics Committee.
Bility filed a case against CAF at the Court of Arbitration for Sport on July 23, to challenge the legality and the decisions of the CAF General Assembly that took place on July 18th, a day before the Africa Cup of Nations final between Algeria and Senegal was played.
The former Liberian FA President and CAF executive committee member was banned by the Adjudicatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics committee 24 hours after he had filed a case at CAS, against CAF.
“FIFA applied to the Court of Arbitration of Sport, to become a party to the case that I have with CAF, concerning their violations of CAF statutes. I am happy that they join the case, as they are involved. I really welcome it,” Bility told an international media outlet.
It is expected that CAS will accept FIFA’s request to join the case in the coming days, as it is not predicted that there will be opposition from Bility to this application.
Bility is challenging the legality of all the decisions that took place on July 18, including the CAF executive committee elections that took place, because the statutory 120-day notice, for calling the CAF congress, was not followed.
FIFA declined to confirm their application to CAS when they were approached for confirmation.
“Any query regarding ongoing arbitral procedures shall be addressed to CAS. Until a final decision is rendered by CAS, FIFA will not make any official comment about this matter,” said a FIFA spokesman on Wednesday.
CAF adopted the same attitude when Achta Mohamed Saleh, the organisation’s legal counsel was approached, for information on who would be representing CAF during the arbitral proceedings in Lausanne.
“I am sure you can understand that I am not allowed to discuss these matters with you… Kindly be informed that matters in front of CAS are confidential,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bility has said that he has received financial support from some FA presidents in Africa to prosecute his CAS case.
“I have received financial support from several FA presidents in Africa, to the tune of $25,000, to meet my CAS expenses.
“I will keep their names quiet, because I don’t want them to be victimized. Many believe in the cause I am fighting, for the dignity of African football,” he said.
Bility Highlights FIFA’s ‘Sinister’ Maneuvering
Musa Bility, slowing down in his mission to hold FIFA and CAF to account over their co-operation initiative that has seen control of African football fall under the dominating wing of the world governing body.
In a new statement Bility raises the conflict of interest issues he has warned of surrounding the dual role of Fatma Samoura as FIFA’s general secretary and ‘CAF General Delegate’, and uses as an example the recently initiated broadcast rights grab by FIFA of African member associations’ World Cup 2022 and 2026 qualification matches.
“In a letter dated 12th August 2019 and addressed to all Member Associations of FIFA, and
under the heading “The FIFA SGs assignment as the FIFA GD for Africa as of 1st August 2019”, Samoura explains to the FIFA membership that she has duly delegated her FIFA duties, specifically to Alasdair Bell (FIFA Deputy SG),” says Bility.
“In another letter dated 13th August 2019, she has addressed the 54 Member Associations of
FIFA and CAF, enclosing a mandate for the collectivization of media and marketing rights for the World Cup qualifiers 2022 and 2026.
Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura is a Senegalese former diplomat and senior executive. She was appointed as the first female Secretary General of FIFA by President Gianni Infantino on 13 May 2016 and assumed her post on 20 June 2016. Previously she worked in various positions at the United Nations.
“Sinisterly, both letters and the mandate have been done on the FIFA letterhead” Bility added.
Bility then goes on to ask:
“a) What is the status of CAF under the presumptive FIFA-CAF cooperation? Has CAF been formally liquidated?
b). With the mandate for the collectivization of broadcast and marketing rights being done onFIFA letterhead, will these now belong to FIFA to do with as it pleases? It is worth noting UEFA currently controls 100% the same RIGHTS being hijacked by FIFA from CAF. They exercise all rights including distribution of proceeds to their MA’s
c). At what point does Fatma Samoura cease to be FIFA SG and become the CAF GD? Currently she is behaving as though she has not ceded her official role at FIFA despite delegating her duties.
d). Isn’t there a self-evident conflict of interest, that we have consistently pointed out, regarding the role Fatma Samoura is supposed to play in CAF while being allowed to gallivant between Africa and Europe?”
Bility has refused to comply with FIFA on it recent decision.
“Let me reiterate that this CAF– FIFA arrangement is wrong on so many levels, from legal to moral, it is an unprecedented attempt to obliterate the will of the African FAs and therefore their right to self-determination,” says Bility in his statement.
“This situation cannot and will not be allowed to go unchallenged,” he told news outlets.