AFC appeal of the Jacques Anouma is rejected

Lausanne, Mar 05, 2013: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by Jacques Anouma against the African Football Confederation (CAF) regarding his candidacy for the CAF presidency.

The Ivorian football Federation (FIF) had proposed the candidature of Mr Anouma for the presidential election of 10 March 2013 a nomination which was declared Inadmissible by the CAF Executive Committee on the ground that Mr Anouma was not and had never been a member of the CAF Executive Committee (a condition provided for in the CAF Statutes adopted in September 2012).

On 19 December 2012, Jacques Anouma filed an appeal at the CAS against the CAF Executive Committee’s decision, requesting its annulment and the confirmation of his candidacy for the election of 10 March 2013.

He also asked the CAS to be temporarily placed on the list of candidates for the CAF presidential election. The request for interim measures was rejected by the CAS 10 January 2013.

The CAS Panel in charge of the case, after having heard the parties at a hearing on 1 February 2013, decided to dismiss the appeal of Jacques Anouma broadly following the reasoning of the CAF Executive Committee, whose jurisdiction to decide the contested decision was recognized by the CAS. Thus, it was confirmed that the CAF Statutes adopted in September 2012 were applicable in assessing the validity of the candidates in the presidential election and that Jacques Anouma did not meet these criteria because he had never been a member the CAF Executive Committee. The CAS, however, recognized Jacques Anouma’s right to appeal alone to the CAS despite the fact that his candidacy had been put forward by the FIF and that such federation did not support Anouma during the arbitration procedure.

CAF Executive Committee, whose jurisdiction to decide the contested decision was recognized by the CAS. Thus, it was confirmed that the CAF Statutes adopted in September 2012 were applicable in assessing the validity of the candidates in the presidential election and Anouma did not meet these criteria because he had never been a member the CAF Executive Committee. The CAS, however, recognized Jacques Anouma’s right to appeal alone to the despite the fact that his candidacy had been put forward by the not support Anouma during the arbitration procedure. —- CAS