Daily Independent (Lagos)
26 May 2011
Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam vowed to clear his name after corruption charges he has dismissed as a ploy by Sepp Blatter, his opponent in FIFA presidential polls.
The Qatari on Thursday refused to withdraw from next week’s vote against Blatter and pressed on with his campaign despite being summoned to a FIFA ethics committee hearing in Zurich Sunday to answer the graft allegations.
“He’s not withdrawing his candidature, despite any rumours and speculation. He’s going there, he’s going to present his case and he’s confident he’s going to be cleared,” a spokesperson told AFP.
“This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
“I am confident that there is no charge to answer and that I will be free to stand in the FIFA presidential election on June 1 as originally planned.”
Bin Hammam, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner and two Caribbean Football Union officials were summoned to the ethics committee after Chuck Blazer, general secretary of regional footballing body CONCACAF, reported possible misdeeds during a May 10 and 11 meeting.
The meeting, in Trinidad, was organised as part of bin Hammam’s globe-trotting campaign to drum up support for his presidential bid.
Britain’s Daily Telegraph said Warner and bin Hammam are accused of offering $40,000 cash gifts to national associations in return for their votes in next Wednesday’s leadership election in Zurich.
The allegations threaten to derail bin Hammam’s campaign which had been founded on an anti-corruption theme, and also further besmirch the image of FIFA, which has been dragged through the mire by repeated graft claims.
FIFA opened a separate inquiry earlier this month after accusations made in the British parliament regarding the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
AllAfrica – All the Time