The president of Association of National Olympics Commitee of Africa (ANOCA) and president of Algeria Olympics Commitee (COA) has been ban by Algeria authority from making any foreign trip; until a gross financial embezzlement levelled against him is cleared.
According to Le Soir Algeria newspaper, the public prosecutor at the Bir Mourad Rais court said the decision had been taken against Berraf for the “squandering of public funds” during his time as President of the Algerian Olympic Committee (COA).
The public prosecutor said the 66-year-old former Algeria basketball president had been forced to remain in Algeria “after an investigation following suspicions of corruption within the COA”.
In another dimension, the Liberian Olympic Committee President Philipbert Browne has called for ANOCA to investigate the latest accusations against Berraf.
In a letter to first vice-president Joao Manuel da Costa Alegre Alfonso and members of the organisation’s Executive Committee, Browne said a probe should be launched by the umbrella body as the allegations are “troubling to say the least”.
“They also “directly impact the smooth administrative running of ANOCA and weigh greatly on the constitutionality of our integrity and credibility as an organisation”, Browne said.
Although Berraf resigned his position as COA President earlier this year, but he still continued to represent the organisation, including during a conference call the IOC held with African National Olympic Committees in March.
The 66-year-old, who became a member of the IOC last year and is part of the body by virtue of his position as ANOCA President, quit in February after claiming he had become “tired” of the “repeated attacks” against him and his family.
Algerian media had reported he was subjected to a social media backlash after respecting the Israeli national anthem at the International Judo Federation Grand Slam event in Paris that same month.
A report from the Algeria Sports Ministry made allegations against him bother on financial mismanagement, signing doubtful contracts, suspicions of corruption, embezzlement and favouritism.
Berraf disputed the accusations and alleged his detractors are guilty of “misleading and defamatory manoeuvers” to “undermine his image and that of the COA”.
An IOC ethics committee has opened an investigation into the accusations of corruption against Berraf.
