The ban was announced during the Madagascan official's campaign to be re-elected for four more years as the head of African soccer.

His position also makes him a FIFA vice president.

The FIFA ethics committee found "Ahmad had breached his duty of loyalty, offered gifts and other benefits, mismanaged funds and abused his position as president".

In addition to the ban, he was fined 200,000 Swiss francs ($300,000.

Ahmad was elected Confederation of African Football president in March 2017, and last month submitted his candidacy to serve a second term in office.

Ahmad's first four-year term was clouded with allegations of financial wrongdoing and misconduct at the CAF headquarters in Cairo.

The investigation by FIFA's ethics committee covered various issues related to the governance of CAF during his tenure.

It included the organisation and funding of a pilgrimage to the Islamic holy site in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and his involvement in CAF's dealings with a sports equipment company called Tactical Steel, FIFA said.

FIFA's secretary general Fatma Samoura had been sent to work on the implementation of governance reforms at CAF for the six-month period up to February this year.

Samoura's secondment was reportedly organised at the request of CAF itself.

The CAF election is scheduled for March 12 in Rabat, Morocco.

Australian Associated Press