FIFA accused of double standards by Bin Hammam

By Andrew Warshaw

August 5 – Mohamed Bin Hammam, banned for life for his role in the cash-for-votes bribery scandal, has hit out at the length of time it is taking FIFA to explain exactly what he has done wrong.

The former head of the Asian Football Confederation was kicked out two weeks ago by FIFA’s Ethics Committee but cannot formally appeal until the so-called “reasoned decisions” have been produced.

In a statement Bin Hammam suggested FIFA was applying double standards by banning him, then taking ages to come up with a detailed explanation.

“Although FIFA was keen to introduce the sanctions against me immediately, it has been in much less of a hurry to publish the reasons behind its decision,” he said.

“This delay is suspicious in that it gives FIFA the time to devise a justification for a decision that it was always going to make anyway.

“This is also outrageous as FIFA has been quick to publicise my guilt while holding up my opportunity to appeal.

“FIFA is therefore violating its own rules by seeking to enforce an order before issuing a decision explaining its grounds.

“I therefore call on FIFA to produce its reasoned decision as soon as possible and I also renew the request that was made on July 23 to release a full transcript of the hearing to the media, for the sake of transparency.”

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734907711labto1734907711ofdlr1734907711owedi1734907711sni@w1734907711ahsra1734907711w.wer1734907711dna1734907711