By Andrew Warshaw
August 8 – More than 10 Caribbean officials are reportedly to face possible corruption proceedings tomorrow by FIFA’s Ethics Committee for their role in the bribery scandal that brought down former Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam (pictured).
Just under two weeks ago, FIFA gave Caribbean Football Union (CFU) representatives who allegedly attended the May 10 and 11 meeting in Trinidad where cash bribes were apparently told they had 48 hours to come forward if they were withholding information.
The 25-strong CFU is a sub-division of CONCACAF, the North, Central America and Caribbean Confederation.
insideworldfootball reported exclusively last month that as many as 15 CFU officials could face corruption charges and according to Bloomberg, the Ethics Committee now look set to open cases against more than 10 of them.
Bin Hammam became the highest-ranked soccer official to be kicked out of FIFA when he was banned for life on July 23 after initially being suspended.
The worst scandal in FIFA’s history is now set to rumble on though it was not clear which 10 Caribbean federations are at the centre of the latest part of the inquiry.
“Truthful and complete reporting will be considered in mitigation by the Ethics committee when deciding on potential sanctions,” FIFA said when the CFU officials were asked to come clean.
“Any person who has relevant information but does not come forward during this 48-hour period will be subject to the full range of sanctions.”
Cuba was the only member of the CFU that did not attend the infamous Trinidad meeting where the cash-for-votes deal is claimed to have happened, with Bin Hammam – at the time challenging for the FIFA Presidency as Asian Football Confederation boss – allegedly colluding with former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner who has since resigned.
Nine CFU countries are understood to have told investigators they had accepted or were offered envelopes full of cash on behalf of bin Hammam who is preparing a detailed appeal.
The remaining 15 denied any knowledge of the incident or refused to take part in the investigation.
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1738777611labto1738777611ofdlr1738777611owedi1738777611sni@w1738777611ahsra1738777611w.wer1738777611dna1738777611
Related stories
July 2011: “I’m not a dictator” insists Blatter after Bin Hammam attack
July 2011: CFU associations given 48 hours to come clean
July 2011: Exclusive – Caribbean countries to be probed as FIFA bribery saga continues
July 2011: Bin Hammam claims case against him is “bogus” and “based on lies” after life ban
June 2011: Exclusive – Plot thickens as at least four more Caribbean countries come out of the woodwork in FIFA bribery scandal