A week before the FIFA presidential election, a new corruption scandal erupted which could destroy the candidacy of the only rival Sepp Blatter and punish one of the proponents of the power for a long time of the Federation.
FIFA on Wednesday called the leader of the Asian Confederation of Football Mohamed bin Hammam and Vice President of FIFA, Jack Warner ethics hearing Sunday to face allegations of corruption during the campaign of the Qatari official visits Trinidad two weeks ago. The time and the source of the allegations, alloy Warner long date Chuck Blazer to the United States, gives them a severity not seen other scandals of FIFA.
Bin Hammam hope at the end of the Presidency of 13 years of Blatter in a vote June 1 of 208 national members of FIFA. But it could wind up prevented the vote in Zurich, if the Ethics Committee decided to suspend him temporarily of all functions of soccer while he is preparing his case - leaving 75 Blatter clearly claiming a fourth and final term of four years at the top of the Director, for the most popular sports body of the world.
Bin Hammam has denied wrongdoing and suggested, "a difficult and painful day for me," acts that the charges were instigated by Blatter camp.
"This gesture is little more than a tactic used by those who do not have confidence in their own capacity to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election," bin Hammam, wrote in a statement published on its official site.
The allegations mark a superb reverse of fortune for bin Hammam, who only six months, helped guide his native Qatar Cup World 2022 hosting rights to FIFA another election marked by intrigue and charge. FIFA is already reviewing the charges in England Qatar paid two members of the Executive Committee of FIFA bribes of 1.5 million dollars for their support.
But, unlike the previous scandals of FIFA, allegations unveiled Wednesday did not result from disclosure of documents or wind infiltration by the media. They came from Blazer, one of the FIFA.
Blazer is General Secretary of CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean of Football and served as the Executive Committee of FIFA for 15 years. Bin Hammam is also a member of the Executive Committee, and Warner is a vice President of FIFA and CONCACAF President.
FIFA said that allegations of corruption are related to the meeting of bin Hammam with 25 soccer Caribbean leaders on 10 - 11 May to native Trinidad of Warner for pressure support for his candidacy. According to The Daily Telegraph, Caribbean Football Union offered $40,000 in exchange for their votes in the upcoming election.
"We filed a full file covering what we believe to be various types of violations," Blazer said when reached Wednesday by the Associated Press, declining further comment.
The survey was conducted by John P. Collins, a former Federal Prosecutor whose clients now include the CONCACAF. Collins is also a member of the legal Committee of FIFA.
"I conducted the investigation and wrote the report," Collins said, adding that he could not give details on the allegations or which was found in the course of the investigation.
Warner said "not to know the details" investigations of FIFA and also has asked why the case was made public today.
"It is interesting to note the timing of these allegations and the scheduled hearing days before FIFA presidential elections," Warner said in a statement.
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