By Andrew Warshaw
May 2 – FIFA Presidential challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam was left a frustrated figure today after being denied a visa to attend tomorrow’s CONCACAF Congress in Miami, potentially the most critical phase in the race for the top job in world football.
Bin Hammam was expected to go head to head with Sepp Blatter, the present incumbent, in an attempt to secure the all-important support of CONCACAF’S 35 member nations.
In a blog on his website, the Asian Football Confederation President revealed that he was unable to attend the Congress ” due to issues beyond my control”.
But insideworldfootball has learned that he was not able get a visa in time even though, intriguingly, other members of his campaign team were successful in doing so.
High-ranking sources have told this website that Bin Hammam had expected to travel to Miami straight from Paraguay where he attended yesterday’s CONMEBOL congress without any problems.
Instead, Bin Hammam flew to Paris on his way home to his native Qatar.
Bin Hammam’s non-appearance in Miami, where he was hoping to present his vision for the future of FIFA, will give Blatter a free run in the lobbying stakes and could theoretically seriously weaken his chances of unseating the 75-year-old Swiss in Zurich on June 1.
Insideworldfootball has also learned that instead of addressing CONCACEF, bin Hammam has swiftly arranged a special meeting with members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), scheduled for Trinidad some time later this month.
A majority of CONCACEF countries also belong to the CFU and Bin Hammam will hope to get his message across just as strongly even though powerhouses like the United States are not members.
In the meantime, Blatter will no doubt be doing all he can to gain the upper hand in Miami.
Having already received the backing of CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, he will hope the CONCACAF Congress – comprising north and central America and the Caribbean – will also announce him as their preferred candidate.
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