Bin Hammam misses own hearing as he prepares for guilty verdict

By Andrew Warshaw

July 22 – Suspended Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam dramatically failed to show up for his eagerly anticipated hearing into FIFA’s worst ever bribery scandal, sources have now confirmed.

Bin Hammam, who persistently refused to talk to investigators during the inquiry into allegations that he tried to bribe Caribbean officials, had been saying for weeks that he was only prepared to meet with FIFA’s Ethics Committee to lay out his defence.

But Ethics Committee sources told insideworldfootball that Bin Hammam failed to appear for the hearing at FIFA headquarters, instead sending lawyers to act on his behalf.

Rumours had swirled around Zurich all day that he he had cancelled his hotel reservation.

Writing on his blog just before he was due to face the five-man Ethics Committee, the 62-year-old President of the Asian Football Confederation said he anticipated being further barred over claims he tried to bribe Caribbean delegates to vote for him at the time he was running for FIFA President.

“It seems likely that Fifa has already made its decision weeks ago,” Bin Hammam wrote.

“None of us should be surprised if a guilty verdict is returned.”

In what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to pre-empt the verdict and lessen the blow, Bin Hammam continued: “I want you all to know that my legal team and I remain confident that the case and the evidence presented against me are weak and unsubstantiated.

“They are flimsy and will not stand up to scrutiny in any court of law; that has been clear throughout this process and it remains to be so.

“If we believe earlier press statements made by or on behalf of different FIFA officials or those working for them, then despite the weakness of the case against me, I am not confident that the hearing will be conducted in the manner any of us would like.”

Bin Hammam and former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner were suspended over allegations that Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Associations were either paid or offered $40,000 in cash during a meeting in Trinidad in May.

Warner resigned from all footballing activities before he faced the ethics committee but as predicted by this website, Bin Hammam did not follow and now appears resigned to go to the highest possible court of appeal to clear his name.

“Following the events since my suspension, it now seems impossible for them to say that they were wrong, although I wish they would have the courage to correct their mistake,” he said.

“Rest assured, though, that justice will eventually prevail whether through the FIFA Ethics Committee, the Court of Arbitration of Sport or, if necessary, through other courts or legal proceedings in courts where we will be equal and no special privileges will be granted to either party.”

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