Bin Hammam to appeal FIFA suspension
Former presidential candidate faces corruption charges.
ZURICH:
Former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam will appeal his suspension by football’s governing body over corruption allegations.
A statement issued by bin Hammam’s office said the Qatari was seeking to lift his suspension from Fifa’s ethics committee. Bin Hammam abandoned his bid to run against Fifa President Sepp Blatter on Sunday, hours before he was suspended by the ethics committee pending the outcome of a corruption investigation.
“The way these proceedings have been conducted are absolutely non conforming with principles of justice,” said bin Hammam. “I’m punished before I’m found guilty.”
Bin Hammam also accused Fifa General-Secretary Jerome Valcke of political bias in his battle with Blatter and questioned the impartiality of the investigation launched against him.
“I get the impression that the outcome was defined from the start as Valcke was clearly biased at the conference. This is not acceptable and I expect investigations to be further influenced.”
Fifa Vice-President Jack Warner was also suspended over accusations of offering $40,000 in cash gifts to the national associations at the Trinidad conference in return for pro-bin Hammam votes in the presidential election.
Mixed reactions for bin Hammam
An Australian lawmaker has demanded that Fifa ‘refunds’ the $48.8 million the country spent on its unsuccessful bid for the 2022 World Cup following the corruption scandal.
Meanwhile, heavweights South Korea maintained their support for bin Hammam. The Korea Football Association said there was no change in its position after the chaotic events of recent days. However, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Vietnam reserved their comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2011.
Former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam will appeal his suspension by football’s governing body over corruption allegations.
A statement issued by bin Hammam’s office said the Qatari was seeking to lift his suspension from Fifa’s ethics committee. Bin Hammam abandoned his bid to run against Fifa President Sepp Blatter on Sunday, hours before he was suspended by the ethics committee pending the outcome of a corruption investigation.
“The way these proceedings have been conducted are absolutely non conforming with principles of justice,” said bin Hammam. “I’m punished before I’m found guilty.”
Bin Hammam also accused Fifa General-Secretary Jerome Valcke of political bias in his battle with Blatter and questioned the impartiality of the investigation launched against him.
“I get the impression that the outcome was defined from the start as Valcke was clearly biased at the conference. This is not acceptable and I expect investigations to be further influenced.”
Fifa Vice-President Jack Warner was also suspended over accusations of offering $40,000 in cash gifts to the national associations at the Trinidad conference in return for pro-bin Hammam votes in the presidential election.
Mixed reactions for bin Hammam
An Australian lawmaker has demanded that Fifa ‘refunds’ the $48.8 million the country spent on its unsuccessful bid for the 2022 World Cup following the corruption scandal.
Meanwhile, heavweights South Korea maintained their support for bin Hammam. The Korea Football Association said there was no change in its position after the chaotic events of recent days. However, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Vietnam reserved their comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2011.