By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 30 – A crestfallen Mohamed Bin Hammam has blamed FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke for helping to bring about his suspension as the unprecedented bribery scandal within football’s world governing body continued to reverberate around the globe.
As both UEFA and CONCACAF held separate meetings today to take stock of a momentous 24 hours that saw both Bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner kicked out of the organisation pending a full inquiry into their roles in the alleged bribes-for-votes debacle, the head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) hit out at the verdict, claiming the decision was unduly influenced by Valcke.
“I have been given the impression that the Ethics Committee is absolutely an independent committee, but in the press conference [that followed] we have seen today, the general secretary made clear that he is the one who has the influence in this Committee,” bin Hammam said in a statement.
“Valcke commented on the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee and presented new evidence against me which had not been part of the proceedings so far and which nobody was able to review.
“He did not hesitate to predict that other parties, in the new fully-fledged investigation, will prove the guilt of Mr Bin Hammam.
“This is contradictory to the rules of justice by an allegedly independent commission.”
Whilst acknowledging the decision, Bin Hammam said he failed to understand how despite him not being found guilty, he has still been suspended.
“I have been referred to the Ethics Committee based on evidence which was strong enough in the views of the FIFA General Secretary for such procedure,” he said.
“However, the Ethics Committee in its meeting today did not find this evidence sufficient to convict me.
“Consequently, I should have been given the benefit of doubt but instead, I have been banned from all football activities.
“I’m very disappointed about the way the status of the proceeding has been presented at the media conference. I am expecting that this will continue.
“This is not how I understand fair play.
“I’m reserving all my rights”
Meanwhile, FIFA President Sepp Blatter, cleared by the Ethics Committee and now running alone at the Presidential election on Wednesday (June 1), called an unscheduled news conference for 6pm local time today to react to the events of the last 24 hours and explain his position.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734858018labto1734858018ofdlr1734858018owedi1734858018sni@w1734858018ahsra1734858018w.wer1734858018dna1734858018