FIFA to probe bin Hammam, Warner for bribery
Source: Agencies |
May 26, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IN a stunning twist just days ahead of FIFA's presidential election, football's governing body said it is investigating Mohamed bin Hammam for bribery in his campaign to unseat Sepp Blatter.
FIFA summoned Asian Football Confederation leader bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner to an ethics hearing on Sunday to face allegations of corruption in the Qatari official's presidential election bid.
The allegations, leveled by Warner's longtime CONCACAF ally Chuck Blazer of the United States, will likely wreck bin Hammam's already fading hopes of defeating Blatter in the June 1 vote by FIFA's 208 members.
"In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke ... requested the FIFA ethics committee to open ethics proceedings," the football body said in a statement yesterday.
FIFA said the allegations related to bin Hammam's meeting with 25 Caribbean football leaders on May 10-11 in Warner's native Trinidad to lobby for support.
"This meeting was linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election," FIFA said.
Bin Hammam helped organize the hastily arranged meeting after he was unable to attend the CONCACAF annual congress one week earlier in Miami. The Qatari official was denied a US visa despite traveling on a diplomatic passport. His campaign's administrative oversight left Blatter a clear run to lobby for votes in Miami.
Warner has long been a key powerbroker in FIFA politics and his backing was seen as key to bin Hammam's hopes. Blatter has been endorsed by confederation leaders in Africa, Europe, Oceania and South America.
Yesterday, a whistleblower from the Qatar bid had been scheduled to submit evidence to Valcke and FIFA legal director Marco Villiger in Zurich. However, FIFA said the whistleblower "decided not to attend the meeting".
FIFA summoned Asian Football Confederation leader bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner to an ethics hearing on Sunday to face allegations of corruption in the Qatari official's presidential election bid.
The allegations, leveled by Warner's longtime CONCACAF ally Chuck Blazer of the United States, will likely wreck bin Hammam's already fading hopes of defeating Blatter in the June 1 vote by FIFA's 208 members.
"In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke ... requested the FIFA ethics committee to open ethics proceedings," the football body said in a statement yesterday.
FIFA said the allegations related to bin Hammam's meeting with 25 Caribbean football leaders on May 10-11 in Warner's native Trinidad to lobby for support.
"This meeting was linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election," FIFA said.
Bin Hammam helped organize the hastily arranged meeting after he was unable to attend the CONCACAF annual congress one week earlier in Miami. The Qatari official was denied a US visa despite traveling on a diplomatic passport. His campaign's administrative oversight left Blatter a clear run to lobby for votes in Miami.
Warner has long been a key powerbroker in FIFA politics and his backing was seen as key to bin Hammam's hopes. Blatter has been endorsed by confederation leaders in Africa, Europe, Oceania and South America.
Yesterday, a whistleblower from the Qatar bid had been scheduled to submit evidence to Valcke and FIFA legal director Marco Villiger in Zurich. However, FIFA said the whistleblower "decided not to attend the meeting".
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