Blatter slammed as FIFA dictator
Source: Agencies |
July 26, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Mohamed bin Hammam has accused FIFA President Sepp Blatter of acting like a "dictator" in giving him a life ban from football over bribery allegations.
FIFA banned the suspended Asian Football Confederation president on Saturday, just months after he helped Qatar win the right to host the 2022 World Cup. But the Qatari denies giving cash to Caribbean officials in exchange for supporting his bid to become FIFA president and contends that the allegations were made because he was a threat to Blatter's re-election.
"This is actually the act of the dictators," bin Hammam said. "You have witnessed through history the dictators, when they think this or that person is a prominent one to replace him, first thing they do they execute him and try to fabricate any allegation against him to jail him or something like that.
"I don't know if Mr Blatter considers himself a leader or not but the leader doesn't (seek) revenge."
Commonplace
Bin Hammam acknowledged that the exchange of gifts between officials was commonplace at FIFA but said that did not constitute bribery and denied handing over cash.
"This is a normal, normal, normal practice," said bin Hammam, pointing at a watch on his left wrist. "This watch is a gift from somebody. It is a gesture. When I received it, I did not give anything.
"It depends about the tradition of the people.
"Maybe there are some traditions you are not familiar with from where you are coming. But it is traditional somewhere else."
Bin Hammam also continued to protest his innocence of wrongdoing on his website, suggesting that he acted entirely within FIFA's guidelines.
"The issue is whether I did something that was against the FIFA rules," bin Hammam said. "I believe FIFA alleged that I used cash to obtain votes. That is for them to prove and I can tell you categorically that I did not."
The FIFA ethics panel ruled that the Qatari conspired to pay Caribbean officials US$40,000 cash bribes to back his challenge to Blatter, which he eventually abandoned to leave Blatter as the sole candidate. Bin Hammam, a 15-year veteran of the FIFA executive committee, is the most senior football official convicted of corruption in its 107-year history.
FIFA banned the suspended Asian Football Confederation president on Saturday, just months after he helped Qatar win the right to host the 2022 World Cup. But the Qatari denies giving cash to Caribbean officials in exchange for supporting his bid to become FIFA president and contends that the allegations were made because he was a threat to Blatter's re-election.
"This is actually the act of the dictators," bin Hammam said. "You have witnessed through history the dictators, when they think this or that person is a prominent one to replace him, first thing they do they execute him and try to fabricate any allegation against him to jail him or something like that.
"I don't know if Mr Blatter considers himself a leader or not but the leader doesn't (seek) revenge."
Commonplace
Bin Hammam acknowledged that the exchange of gifts between officials was commonplace at FIFA but said that did not constitute bribery and denied handing over cash.
"This is a normal, normal, normal practice," said bin Hammam, pointing at a watch on his left wrist. "This watch is a gift from somebody. It is a gesture. When I received it, I did not give anything.
"It depends about the tradition of the people.
"Maybe there are some traditions you are not familiar with from where you are coming. But it is traditional somewhere else."
Bin Hammam also continued to protest his innocence of wrongdoing on his website, suggesting that he acted entirely within FIFA's guidelines.
"The issue is whether I did something that was against the FIFA rules," bin Hammam said. "I believe FIFA alleged that I used cash to obtain votes. That is for them to prove and I can tell you categorically that I did not."
The FIFA ethics panel ruled that the Qatari conspired to pay Caribbean officials US$40,000 cash bribes to back his challenge to Blatter, which he eventually abandoned to leave Blatter as the sole candidate. Bin Hammam, a 15-year veteran of the FIFA executive committee, is the most senior football official convicted of corruption in its 107-year history.
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