Adamu free again, as FIFA ban ends

The three-year ban on former Nigeria CAF and
FIFA Executive Committee member, Dr. Amos
Adamu, slammed on him by the Federation of
International Football Association (FIFA) has
expired, thus making the Nigerian high profile
sports administrator free again to participate
in football activities within and outside Nigeria.
The FIFA ban on Adamu, a retired Director
General of the National Sports Commission,
expired at 12mid night on October 19.

But contrary to expectations, Dr. Adamu has
declared that he is not in hurry to return to
football administration in CAF, FIFA and WAFU.
"My interest is not to rush back to the
international federations, but I am delighted
that my ban has expired and I am free to
contribute to the development of football and
sports generally in Nigeria, Africa and the
world at large."
The former WAFU president noted that, he
learned lots of lessons during his period of
incarceration, and on return now, he would be
delving into sports business and not sports
administration as it was the case before his
ban.
"My focus is different now and those expecting
me to rush back to football administration
would be disappointed. I want to do serious
business in sports. I am now a different
person. This is the new Amos Adamu.
"I went through some transformations which
had been worthwhile. I am now a different
person wiser than before."
Adamu expressed delight in the supports given
to him during the period of his travails by the
leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation
(NFF), the Sports Ministry and the National
Sports Commission (NSC) under the leadership
of Professor Taoreed Adedoja who stood firmly
to defend him.
"I am also grateful to the leadership of the
National Assembly who made frantic efforts to
ensure that I was not unjustly incarcerated
after presenting them with documented
evidences both in print and video."
The former Director of Sports Development
stressed that, his consolation despite the
three-year ban was the FIFA action which
cleared him of all corruption charges and
limited his offence to that of ethics violation.
Adamu was banned in 2010 after the FIFA
World Cup in South Africa following a petition
sent to the world football governing body by
the UK Bid Committee for the FIFA World Cup.