FIFA to deliver bin Hammam verdict
Mohamed bin Hammam will find out today whether he has been found guilty of bribery allegations by FIFA’s ethics committee.
The Asian Football Confederation president yesterday began the fight to clear his name in Zurich as part of a two-day hearing convened to look into claims that he attempted to bribe members of the Caribbean Football Union at a meeting on the FIFA presidency campaign trail in Trinidad in May.
Bin Hammam had been set to run against incumbent FIFA president Sepp Blatter but withdrew from the race in the wake of the allegations and has been suspended from all football activity since May 29.
Reports emanated last night suggesting that Bin Hammam did not attend the first day of the hearing despite confirming on his official Twitter account that he would.
The reports followed the 62-year-old Qatari’s astonishing attack against football’s world governing body through a blog on his website under the title ’justice will prevail’, where he labelled FIFA’s evidence as “flimsy”, “weak” and “unsubstantiated”.
Furthermore, the post also expressed his belief that FIFA have already decided to find him guilty of wrongdoing.
“I would like to thank you all for your tremendous backing and your messages of support and encouragement as we approach the concluding stage of the current case before the FIFA ethics committee,” the statement read.
“I want you all to know that my legal team and I remain confident that the case and the evidence presented against me are weak and unsubstantiated.
“They are flimsy and will not stand up to scrutiny in any court of law; that has been clear throughout this process and it remains to be so.
“If we believe earlier press statements made by or on behalf of different FIFA officials or those working for them, then despite the weakness of the case against me, I am not confident that the hearing will be conducted in the manner any of us would like.
“It seems likely that FIFA has already made its decision weeks ago. So, none of us should be completely surprised if a guilty verdict is returned.
“Following the events since my suspension, it now seems impossible, for them to say that they were wrong, although I wish they would have the courage to correct their mistake.
“Rest assured, though, 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.”
Jack Warner, the FIFA vice-president who was charged along with Bin Hammam, will not face the ethics committee after FIFA dropped the investigation into him following his resignation from all football activities.
However, the cases of CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester are also being heard at the hearing in Zurich.
