FIFA finds 'overwhelming' evidence of bribery

Posted June 23, 2011 06:24:00

'Compelling case': FIFA suspects Mohamed Bin Hammam engaged in an act of bribery. (AFP: Saeed Khan)

FIFA's ethics committee found "comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming" evidence that Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner were involved in attempted bribery according to the preliminary report that led to the suspension of the two officials.

Warner resigned as a FIFA vice-president and president of CONCACAF on Monday, prompting the sport's governing body to drop an investigation into bribery allegations against him and leaving "a presumption of innocence".

The ethics committee's report, compiled by Namibian judge Petrus Damuseb last month, said there was a "compelling case" that Bin Hammam was engaged in an act of bribery and that Warner was an accessory.

The ethics committee acted on that evidence by suspending the pair. Bin Hammam had by then pulled out of the presidential campaign, leaving Sepp Blatter to win a fourth term unopposed.

Bin Hammam said on Wednesday he had done nothing wrong while Warner, who has denied any wrongdoing, was not immediately available for comment.

FIFA said it had no comment on the report.

The claims centre on a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in Trinidad in May.

"The comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming evidence permits to conclude prima facie that the accused (Warner) has initiated and arranged a special meeting of the CFU member associations for Mr Bin Hammam," the report said.

"Furthermore on the occasion of this meeting it seems that Mr Bin Hammam offered, at least indirectly and under the pledge of secrecy, to each of the member associations an envelope containing $40,000.

"The FIFA ethics committee is of the primary opinion that the accused (Warner) had knowledge of the respective payments and condoned them."

The report adds: "The committee is also of the opinion that the respective money gifts can probably only be explained if they are associated with the FIFA presidential elections of 1 June 2011.

"Therefore it appears rather compelling to consider the actions of Mr Bin Hammam constitute prima facie an act of bribery, or at least an attempt to commit bribery."

Bin Hammam issued a statement via a spokesman re-affirming his denial of any wrong-doing.

"There is nothing I can say more than I deny the allegations and insist that I have not done anything wrong during the special congress at Trinidad," he said.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, football, switzerland

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/23/3251062.htm

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