Fifa bans Mohamed Bin Hammam for life over attempted bribery claims

Markhor · Jul 23, 2011

BBC Sport - Fifa bans Mohamed Bin Hammam for life over attempted bribery claims

Former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam has been banned from football for life after being found guilty of attempted bribery.

The governing body's ethics committee made the decision on Saturday after a two-day hearing.

Bin Hammam was accused of attempting to buy votes ahead of last month's Fifa presidential election.

The 62-year-old Qatari withdrew from the election, leaving Sepp Blatter to be re-elected unopposed.

The decision makes Bin Hammam the most senior figure to be banned by Fifa in its 107-year history.

The former head of the Asian Football Confederation is now unable to be involved "in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life", Fifa ethics committee deputy chairman Petrus Damaseb said on Saturday.

A spokesman for Bin Hammam's legal counsel said they rejected the committee's findings.

"He maintains his innocence," the spokesman said. "He will continue to fight his case through the legal routes that are open to him."

Bin Hammam, along with former Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, was suspended after a leaked report revealed four Caribbean Football Union (CFU) associations were either offered money, or saw the offence occur, during a meeting in May.

It was alleged that cash-stuffed envelopes containing up to $40,000 (£25,000) were handed to the delegates during the meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The report said there was "comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming" proof that bribes had been paid to officials to support Bin Hammam's campaign for the Fifa presidency, and that Warner had facilitated this.

Warner's resignation from Fifa last month meant he did not have to face the ethics committee.

Two further officials from the CFU, Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, were each banned from football-related activity for a year for their involvement in the bribery attempt.

In a blog post on Friday, Bin Hammam raised fears that he would not recieve a fair trial at the hearing.

"It seems likely that Fifa has already made its decision weeks ago," he wrote.

"So none of us should be completely surprised if a guilty verdict is returned."

Before the hearing, Bin Hammam suggested he would be compelled to appeal if the committee found him guilty of the charges.

"Rest assured that justice will eventually prevail whether through the Fifa ethics committee, the Court of Arbitration for Sport or if necessary, through other courts or legal proceedings in courts where we will be equal and no special privileges will be granted to either party," he wrote.

The ethics committee has now asked Fifa's legal department to prepare cases against Caribbean football leaders who are suspected to have knowingly covered up the instances of Bin Hammam's bribery attempts.

TIMELINE

18 March 2011 - Mohamed Bin Hammam announces intention to challenge Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency

25 May - Fifa announce they are to investigate four officials - including Bin Hammam and vice-president Jack Warner - following bribery allegations made by CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer

27 May - Bin Hammam suggests Fifa president Sepp Blatter knew about alleged bribery payments, and that there is a conspiracy to stop him running for Fifa president

29 May - Bin Hammam withdraws his presidential candidacy but vows to clear his name over allegations. Fifa suspend Bin Hammam and Warner from all football-related activity and opens full investigation

1 June - Sepp Blatter re-elected as Fifa president after running unopposed

20 June - Warner resigns from his posts in international football, avoiding Fifa investigation

23 July - Fifa ethics committee bans Bin Hammam from football-related activity for life

Log in or Sign up

Fifa bans Mohamed Bin Hammam for life over attempted bribery claims

Markhor