The world football governing body, FIFA, has banned the former president of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Bassam Adeel Jaleel, from all football-related activities for life and imposed a fine of USD 1.23 million.

According to FIFA, the sanction stems from Bassam’s misappropriation of funds that the organisation had disbursed as part of its COVID-19 relief programme. In its statement, FIFA said it had been established that Bassam transferred the relief funds into his personal account and used the money to purchase an apartment. In connection with the same case, a Maldivian court has already sentenced him to a combined 32 years in prison.

FIFA also announced sanctions against Mohamed Aqeel, the former Director of Finance and Administration at FAM, banning him from football for 10 years and fining him USD 122,000. The ruling against Aqeel was based on charges of aiding the misappropriation of FIFA funds, using falsified documents, and failing to cooperate with the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Bassam is currently serving his prison sentence, though he is periodically transferred to house arrest due to his health condition. He is reportedly under house arrest at present.