FIFA has announced that the governing body of football is investigating Mohamed bin Hammam and three other top officials for bribery. The AFC president is currently in a campaign to challenge Sepp Blatter at the FIFA Presidental Election early next month.
FIFA Media Release:
On 24 May 2011, FIFA Executive Committee member and CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer reported to FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke possible violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics allegedly committed by officials.
In particular, the report referred to a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), apparently organised jointly by FIFA Vice-President Jack A. Warner and FIFA Executive Committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, which took place on 10 and 11 May 2011. This meeting was linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
In view of the facts alleged in this report, which include bribery allegations, FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, in compliance with art. 16 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, yesterday requested the FIFA Ethics Committee to open ethics proceedings.
Subsequently, the FIFA Ethics Committee today, 25 May 2011, opened a procedure against the following officials:
• FIFA Vice-President Jack A. Warner
• FIFA Executive Committee member Mohamed bin Hammam
• CFU official Debbie Minguell
• CFU official Jason Sylvester
The aforementioned officials have been invited to take position by 27 May 2011 and to attend a hearing by the FIFA Ethics Committee at the Home of FIFA (Zurich) on 29 May 2011.
Based on art. 87.1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and art. 17.2 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, the chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Claudio Sulser, has declined to participate in this FIFA Ethics Committee meeting due to the Swiss nationality he shares with Joseph S. Blatter, a candidate for the upcoming FIFA presidency. The meeting will therefore be chaired by the deputy chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee, Petrus Damaseb (Namibia).
No additional comments will be made by FIFA until further notice.
It’s election time… Isn’t it?
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