African football media officer suspended for alleged 'indecent conduct'

ALGIERS : The Confederation of African Football has banned one of its media officers from any football activity for five years and sent him home from the African Nations Championship in Algeria after he was accused of "indecent conduct".

Felix Sohounde Peperipe, a broadcaster from Benin, was co-opted by the CAF to work on media organisation at the tournament.

Sohounde Peperipe was suspended after a hearing of the CAF disciplinary committee in Algiers this week. The committee had heard from the victim that he "attacked" her last weekend "trying to kiss her" after she went to his hotel room to collect accreditation documents.

The disciplinary committee decision, released to reporters, also said a second person had also come forward to provide details of an inappropriate offer received from Sohounde Peperipe when he served as a media officer at the last Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

Sohounde Peperipe denied the accusations, saying they were a plot to sully his reputation. It was not immediately clear if he would face any criminal charges.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Nick Macfie)