FIFA were forced to back-track on statements that African football leader Issa Hayatou has been appointed to head the Olympic football tournament in London.
The sport's world governing body had yesterday confirmed that Hayatou, who is still under investigation by the International Olympic Committee's ethics commission over corruption allegations, had been appointed as chairman of both the organising committee for Olympic football tournaments and of the GOAL Bureau that distributes money for development projects.
FIFA's website also listed Hayatou as the new chairman in the list of committees.
In an embarrassing about-turn last night, however, FIFA said Hayatou has not been appointed to the positions.
A statement from the world governing body said: "Due to a technical error, appointments for FIFA Standing Committees have appeared on the FIFA website. The appointments for the chairman and deputy chairman of the FIFA standing committees will be communicated in due course.
"Therefore, Issa Hayatou has not been appointed as chairman of the organising committee for the Olympic Football Tournaments."
FIFA later confirmed that neither has he been made chairman of the GOAL Bureau, a position which has become vacant following the life ban handed to Mohamed Bin Hammam for bribery.
Both appointments had been announced yesterday by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), of which Hayatou is president.
Hayatou, from Cameroon, is also an IOC member and they confirmed that the investigation by their ethics commission into allegations of corruption made by the BBC's Panorama programme last year is still ongoing.
An IOC spokesman said: "The ethics commission is independent but my understanding is that the investigation is still continuing."
Panorama alleged Hayatou took payments of £20,000 from now-defunct FIFA marketing partners ISL in the 1990s.
He has denied the allegation and insists the money was a payment towards CAF's 40th anniversary celebrations.
Hayatou has been a member of the IOC since 2001. He chaired FIFA's Olympics committee from 1992 to 2006.
