Mohammed bin Hammam, FIFA presidential candidate, and Jack Warner, a FIFA vice-president, have been accused of offering bribes to Caribbean delegates in return for votes at Wednesday's FIFA presidential election.
Bin Hammam and Warner have been accused of offering US$40,000 bribes in return for votes.
The presidential candidate called for the incumbent president Joseph Sepp Blatter to be included in the world governing football body's current bribery investigation. Bin Hammam, who is due to stand against Blatter in next Wednesday's election has denied any wrongdoing, and is set to face FIFA's ethics committee on Sunday. Bin Hammam claims that FIFA Vice-President Jack A. Warner would have informed the FIFA President in advance about alleged cash payments to delegations attending a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) apparently organised jointly by Jack A. Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam on 10 and 11 May 2011 in Trinidad, and that the FIFA President would have had no issue with these. (fifa-news)
Subsequently, the FIFA Ethics Committee opened a procedure against the FIFA President in compliance with art. 16 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
On 24 May 2011, FIFA Executive Committee member and CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer reported to FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke possible violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics allegedly committed by officials.
In view of the facts alleged in the report, which include bribery allegations, FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke, in compliance with art. 16 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, requested the FIFA Ethics Committee to open ethics proceedings.
Subsequently, the FIFA Ethics Committee today, 25 May 2011, opened a procedure against the following officials: FIFA Vice-President Jack A. Warner, FIFA Executive Committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, CFU official Debbie Minguell, CFU official Jason Sylvester
The hearing is expected to be held at the Home of FIFA (Zurich) on 29 May 2011.
The Asian Football Confederation chief bin Hammam has called for any FIFA investigation to include Blatter as well. A statement from his office read: "As the recent accusations also mention incumbent FIFA president Joseph Blatter, Mohamed Bin Hammam has requested that the investigation be extended to include Mr Blatter. It is no coincidence that these allegations have been made only a few days before the 61st FIFA Congress, at which the new FIFA president will be elected."
Blatter dismissed claims that he had orchestrated a smear campaign against both his rival and Warner, who controls 40 Concacaf votes the key to either candidate's success.
Subsequently, the FIFA Ethics Committee today opened a procedure against the FIFA President in compliance with art. 16 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Joseph S. Blatter has been invited to take position by 28 May 2011, 11:00 CET and to attend a hearing by the FIFA Ethics Committee at the Home of FIFA (Zurich) on 29 May 2011
Accusations of this magnitude could mean that the whole Caribbean Football Union could be found guilty of gross violation of FIFA rules and will have to be expelled from office and permanently banned.
