By Andrew Warshaw
May 11 – Mohamed Bin Hammam, the challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter for the FIFA Presidency, has leapt to the defence of Jack Warner over the corruption allegations against the controversial Caribbean powerbroker.
Bin Hammam, who badly needs Warner’s support if he is to unseat Sepp Blatter in the election on June 1, used a meeting with CONCACAF members to question claims that their organisation’s chief asked for $2.5 million ($4.1 million) to back England for 2018.
The Qatari is courting the potentially vital 35 votes available to CONCACAF, of which Warner is President.
After being·denied a visa to match Blatter’s appearance at last week’s CONCACAF Congress, he instead met 30 of the confederation’s 35 members·- all members of the Caribbean Football Union – at an alternative one-off gathering in Trinidad.
Unsurprisingly, he said everything Warner would want to hear about the latest allegations, made by former English 2018 World Cup bid chairman Lord Triesman.
“You need, and I need, and the court needs the evidence,” Bin Hammam said.
“The evidence is very important.
“When you come with accusations bring the evidence.”
Bin Hammam’s own position is very much under scrutiny too since the Parliamentary Committee being addressed by Triesman revealed, staggeringly, that Qatar, Bin Hammam’s native country, allegedly paid two FIFA executive committee members $1.5 million (£917,000) to vote for their 2022 bid, which ultimately won by a landslide.
CONCACAF will likely reveal their choice for FIFA President the day before the Congress and it is widely expected they will support Blatter.
However, Warner said they wanted to give bin Hammam a chance to be heard.
“He showed where he took Asia from, when he became President, to where Asia is today,” said Warner after the meeting.
“He showed also what he did with the Goal Project and what he did with the FIFA Assistance Programme.
“He also gave them an account of his stewardship in FIFA over the last 15 years and also in his own FA (AFC).
“I think it was a very good presentation.
“I would much prefer to get the views first of the membership, now that they’ve heard all sides and then I’ll be able to guide them,” Warner noted.
“I don’t want to make my views first and let them be influenced by that.
“I want to get from them some feedback.
“If you asked me if I’m impressed by what he has said, yes I’m impressed but beyond that I can’t say much more.”
The·CONCACAF President, in a clear dig at·at the latest corruption claims,·warned Caribbean Football Union·members·to be wary of negative media reports emerging after their meeting with Bin Hammam.
“You will hear the president of Asia came here for your vote and he gave you, a Benz for you, a Benz for you and a Benz for you,” said Warner.
“You will hear of course that he came from Asia and gave you a barrel of oil.
“You will hear those things.
“You will hear he gave you a ship and I am asking you, when you go back home, because [in] the media, everybody believes the worst thing possible.
“When you go back home, you hold your head high and you will tell your members that you were not part of this international nonsense.”
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