Murshedy fined in FIFA’s new sanctions

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) senior vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedy has been fined by FIFA's adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee for breaching article 14 (general duties) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

The world governing body of football announced in a statement yesterday that Murshedy, who is also the chairman of the BFF Finance Committee, has to pay a fine amounting to more than BDT 12 lakh (CHF 10,000).

In addition, three former BFF officials, including general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, have been banned from all football-related activities in different terms. Sohag has been banned for three years and ordered to pay a fine amounting to more than BDT 25 lakh (CHF 20,000) for the breach of three aspects of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

Shohag had previously been banned for two years in 2023 and was handed a fine of approximately BDT 12 lakh (CHF 10,000) for using falsified documents to legitimise payments, leading to the BFF issuing a lifetime ban on him. Under the new sanctions, Shohag's ban will be extended till 2027.

For violating the same provisions as Shohag, former BFF Chief Financial Officer Abu Hossain and former operational manager Mizanur Rahman were both sanctioned. Despite having previously left their roles at BFF, the duo has been barred from participating in any football-related activities for two years and forced to pay individual fines of more than BDT 12 lakh (CHF 10,000).

Meanwhile, Imrul Hasan Sharif, BFF's Procurement and Store Officer who had left his post earlier this year, has been asked to attend FIFA compliance training and has been warned about his future conduct.

"The decisions were taken following separate hearings and upon careful analysis, in each of the applicable proceedings, of both the evidence provided before the adjudicatory chamber and the evidence collected during the investigations conducted by the investigatory chamber," the statement by FIFA read.

"The adjudicatory chamber was comfortably satisfied that the above individuals were involved with and/or participated in a number of transactions supported with false and/or falsified documentation, which were paid, or expected to be paid, with FIFA funds."

FIFA also mentioned the newly imposed sanctions, for which the indicted ones would be able to appeal, would take effect from Thursday.