By Duncan Mackay
May 14 – Worawi Makudi, one of the FIFA Executive Committee members who allegedly asked for favours to vote for England to host the World Cup in 2018, claimed today he is planning to sue Lord Triesman, the former leader of the bid.
Worawi has also claimed he is still President of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT), despite the claims of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) that he has forfeited his role by his failure to follow the rules.
Worawi said Triesman’s allegations he had demanded television rights for a proposed friendly between England and Thailand in return for his 2018 World Cup vote made in during a Parliamentary last Tuesday (May 10) had tarnished his reputation.
“The claims Triesman made are groundless and I am putting together a legal team to fight these charges,” he told Reuters.
“I have a very strong case and I will present evidence to prove these allegations are not true.
“I don’t know why they were made.”
But Worawi will find it hard to fight to take on Triesman, who made his comments under Parliamentary privilege, which means that he cannot be sued.
Worawi’s best hope of taking legal case would appear to rest with Triesman repeating the claims in public where he would not be protected by privilege – which seems unlikely.
Meanwhile, Worawi’s has dismissed claims that he has lost his position as head of the FAT because his term expired at the end of last year and under their own regulations he could be acting Pesident for a maximum 90 days after that.
“I am still holder of the position and we will reschedule the election,” he said.
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