FIFA panel lifts ban on Qatar’s Al Mohannadi

ZURICH: A FIFA Appeal Committee has overturned a ban it imposed in November on Saud Al Mohannadi, a high-ranking Qatari and Asian football official, for failing to co-operate as a witness with an investigation, it said on Thursday.

It also revoked a fine of $19,926 levied against Al Mohannadi, a Vice-President of the Asian Football Confederation and Qatar Football Association, who had denied wrongdoing.

When the sanction was handed down, Al Mohannadi had been accused of infringing "his duty to collaborate as a witness in proceedings.

Following a hearing in Zurich last week, FIFA's Appeals committee upheld his appeal and lifted the sanctions imposed on him as a result.

"The Appeal Committee considered that the evidence available was not sufficient to establish to the appropriate standard that Mr Al Mohannadi had acted in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics," a FIFA statement said.