Fifa deputy secretary said Bin Hammam’s direct or indirect involvement in the election would be a breach of the life-ban Fifa had slapped on the Qatari for corruption and bribery. PHOTO: FILE
No reason was given for the pullout in an AFC statement issued late yesterday, less than 24 hours before today’s vote, but Medlej had earlier announced his intention to withdraw to avoid diluting the Arab vote.
On the other hand, Fifa have warned the Qatar Football Association to steer clear of Mohamed bin Hammam after Kuwait objected to the banned former AFC chief’s possible interference in the AFC’s presidential elections today.
Kuwait Football Association official Husain al Musallam drew Fifa’s attention to the presence of Bin Hammam’s associates at the AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the election for a new leader at the 47-member confederation.
Fifa deputy secretary general Markus Kattner said Bin Hammam’s direct or indirect involvement in the election would be a breach of the life-ban Fifa had slapped on the Qatari for corruption and bribery.
“We would like to turn your attention to the fact that this lifetime ban from all football related activity imposed on Mr Bin Hammam,” said Kattner in a letter to Qatar Football Association general secretary Saoud Al Mohannadi. “This specifically prohibits any member or employee of the football family (example member associations, officials and so on) to contact or meet with Bin Hammam regarding any football related issues.
“In the event Bin Hammam should visit, attend or meet various AFC members or AFC member associations in order to support specific candidates around the upcoming AFC elections, this would cause a clear and serious breach of the sanction imposed on Bin Hammam.
“Anyone who fails to comply with a decision passed by a body, a committee or an instance of Fifa, may be sanctioned,” the official warned, citing the Fifa disciplinary code.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2013.
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