Togo FA president suspended and ref banned for bribery

CAIRO, July 12 (Reuters) The president of the Togo FA was suspended for eight years and a Gambian referee has been banned for life after being found guilty of being involved in a bribery scandal, the Confederation of African Football said today.

Another Togolese official has been banned for four years.

CAF found that Avlessi Adaglo Tata, who was elected president of the Togo FA earlier this year, provided money to the fourth official at the match to pass on the referee, Pa Abdou Sarr of Gambia.

All were found guilty by CAF's disciplinary board, which sat in Cairo last week, of being involved in the bribe ahead of an African Under-17 qualifier between Togo and Tunisia in March.

Togo lost the match 3-0 but still qualified for the U-17 World Cup, which is to be played in South Korea next month.

CAF said it has found that Atevi Cehivi Attivi Cessi, who was the fourth official, had acted as the go-between for the bribe. He has been banned for four years.

''It has been proved that Mr Tata provided the money to Mr Attivi Cessi to pass on to the referee,'' a CAF statement said without giving any further details.

Reuters has learnt that the sum involved was 3000 dollars.

The 39-year-old Sarr has been on FIFA's refereeing panel for the last 11 years.

REUTERS BJR RN1726