Former FIFA official fights life ban for bribery in court

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Former FIFA Council member Kwesi Nyantakyi has been challenging his life ban for bribery and corruption at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The court says a verdict from Thursday’s hearing will likely take at least several weeks to announce.

A Ghanaian television program broadcast footage of Nyantakyi accepting $65,000 in cash from reporters posing as businessmen seeking favors. That prompted him to resign days before the 2018 World Cup from his $250,000-a-year FIFA position. Nyantakyi also left as senior vice president of African soccer’s governing body and president of Ghana’s soccer federation.

Nyantakyi had been one of Africa’s elected delegates to FIFA’s ruling committee since 2016.

FIFA’s ethics committee found him guilty last year and fined him 500,000 Swiss francs ($507,000).