- FIFA opened formal proceedings against FECOFOOT officials Jean Guy Mayolas, Wantete Badji, and Raoul Kanda over alleged fund misappropriation
- Potential violations under investigation include misuse of funds, forgery, conflicts of interest, and offering or accepting benefits
- The probe follows Mayolas’ in-absentia life sentence by a Brazzaville court for embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds
FIFA’s investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has opened formal proceedings against three senior officials of the Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) over alleged financial misconduct involving FIFA funds.
The officials under investigation include FECOFOOT President Jean Guy Mayolas, General Secretary Wantete Badji, and Finance Director Raoul Kanda. The development was confirmed in a statement published on FIFA’s website on Wednesday.
FIFA stated that the proceedings follow a review of information and documentation gathered through a FIFA-initiated process, which indicated potential financial irregularities and inconsistencies in the use of FIFA-allocated funds.
“Based on this information, the investigatory chamber has determined that there is a prima facie basis to open proceedings for potential breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics,” the statement read.
The conduct under review may constitute violations of several provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics, including:
- Article 29: Misappropriation and misuse of funds
- Article 25: Forgery and falsification
- Article 20: Conflicts of interest
- Article 21: Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits
FIFA noted that the list of potential violations may be revised as investigations progress. The governing body also reiterated its commitment to ensuring the responsible use of its funds and maintaining integrity in football administration across member associations.
The investigation comes weeks after a criminal court in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, convicted Mayolas, his wife, and his son in absentia of embezzling approximately $1.1 million in FIFA funds. Mayolas was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges including money laundering, forgery, and misappropriation.
FIFA stated that, as the proceedings are ongoing, it would not make further comments at this stage.
Jean Guy Mayolas, elected as FECOFOOT president in 2018, is also a member of FIFA’s Media and Communications Committee. The outcome of the Ethics Committee investigation could have far-reaching implications for governance and oversight in the Republic of the Congo’s football administration.