FIFA candidate, official in bribe probe Associated Press ZURICH -- With FIFA's presidential election just a week away, soccer's governing body said Wednesday it is investigating challenger Mohamed bin Hammam for bribery in his campaign to unseat Sepp Blatter. FIFA summoned Asian Football Confederation leader bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner to an ethics hearing Sunday to face allegations of corruption during the Qatari official's campaign visit to Trinidad two weeks ago. The allegations -- leveled by Warner's longtime ally, Chuck Blazer of the United States -- could well wreck bin Hammam's already fading hopes of defeating Blatter in the June 1 vote by FIFA's 208 national members. Bin Hammam denied wrongdoing and suggested, on "a difficult and painful day for me," that the accusations were instigated by Blatter's camp. "This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election," bin Hammam wrote in a statement published on his official website. Blazer's report, which FIFA said "include bribery allegations," prompted secretary general Jerome Valcke to ask the governing body's ethics committee to investigate. The ethics panel can provisionally suspend officials under suspicion while it gathers evidence for a full hearing. It took this path when investigating two of bin Hammam's FIFA executive committee colleagues prior to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes last December. Bin Hammam, under the terms of a provisional ban, could then be prevented from attending any soccer meeting and effectively barred as an election candidate. "I am confident that there is no charge to answer and that I will be free to stand ... as originally planned," bin Hammam wrote. "If there is even the slightest justice in the world, these allegations will vanish in the wind." FIFA said the allegations related to bin Hammam's meeting with 25 Caribbean football leaders on May 10-11 in Warner's native Trinidad to lobby for support. "This meeting was linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election," FIFA said. Blatter's campaign adviser, Brian Alexander, said the FIFA president would not comment on the case. Bin Hammam helped organize the hastily arranged meeting after he was unable to attend the annual congress of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) one week earlier in Miami. The Qatari official was denied a visa to enter the U.S., despite traveling on a diplomatic passport. His campaign's administrative oversight left Blatter a clear run to lobby for votes in Miami. Warner has long been a key powerbroker in FIFA politics and his backing was seen as vital to bin Hammam's hopes. Blatter has been endorsed by confederation leaders in Africa, Europe, Oceania and South America. Warner's 35-member confederation has not yet officially backed either candidate. Bin Hammam and Warner are both scheduled to be in Zurich on Thursday for a meeting of FIFA's finance committee, and to attend FIFA's executive committee meeting chaired by Blatter on Monday. They face lengthy suspensions from all soccer duties if bribery allegations are proven. Both were re-elected unopposed this year to lead their continental bodies for four more years. Two other Caribbean Football Union officials, Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, are also being investigated by FIFA. The four people under suspicion have been invited to "take a position" by Friday and report to the ethics panel on Sunday, FIFA said. Corruption in FIFA has been a prominent campaign theme after a series of financial and vote-buying scandals severely damaged its reputation during Blatter's 13-year presidency. Yet Bin Hammam appears to have been damaged by association with corruption more than Blatter during their two months of electioneering. Bin Hammam was a key player in Qatar's successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup. Qatar was accused in a British Parliamentary hearing of paying $1.5 million bribes to two African FIFA executive committee members, Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma. They deny the claims. On Wednesday, a whistleblower from the Qatar bid had been scheduled to submit evidence to Valcke and FIFA legal director Marco Villiger in Zurich. But then, FIFA said, the whistleblower "decided not to attend the meeting" based on legal advice. FIFA said Warner and bin Hammam will face an ethics panel chaired by Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb. Ethics committee chairman Claudio Sulser stepped aside to avoid a conflict of interest because he shares Swiss nationality with Blatter.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing was just reading about this. Chuck Blazer good stuff in here too http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/sports/soccer/fifa-cant-ignore-insiders-charges-of-corruption.html?_r=1
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Don't give a shit about Bin Hammam, just get rid of Warner.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Warner sounds like a man who knows that his time is up. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1391817/A-football-tsunami-hit-FIFA-warns-vice-president-Jack-Warner.html
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing get him gone and hope blatter dies of a heart attack
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing The Bin is equally as bad as Blatter. Would be nice to do a little cleansing of FIFA.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing They need to let Maradona run FIFA.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Welp the shit is starting to hit the fan. bin Hammam has pulled out of the election.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Some more details of the meeting under question http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/8544176/Revealed-Fifa-s-top-secret-bribery-files-on-Mohamed-Bin-Hammam-and-Jack-Warner.html
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing I hope somehow Blatter goes down as well with Warner and Bin Hammam
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing The entire FIFA organization is corrupt as hell and needs to be dismantled/restarted. They should put Americans in charge.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Blatter knew about this meeting and the payments. But he will not go down for it.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing this is definitely a start. hope to god Warner gets bounced Chuck Blazer probably feeling pretty smuggy
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Jack Warner and Mohammed Bin Hammam suspended from all FIFA activities to allow full inquiry into bribery allegations
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Blatter is cleared of everything.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Would be great if this is the end of Warner.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing He's gonna be fifa's scapegoat. Thats why he's pissed
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing It is all posturing so that nothing changes in FIFA including the WC sites. The bin will take most of the fall. Warner will get slapped on the wrist and told he is a bad boy.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Welp Warner has come out swinging. Full text of Warner statement: I attended the FIFA enquiry today at 12 noon pursuant to a request made of me by FIFA to answer allegation made by Chuck Blazer, General Secretary of CONCACAF. I have learned this evening via the media that I have been provisionally suspended by the FIFA Ethics Committee. This has come both as a shock and surprise to me. At the conclusion of the enquiry I specifically requested that I be notified of any decision as I had learned via the media before attending the hearing that a decision would be handed down at 5:00PM. Despite leaving my contact details, up to this point, I still have not received any notification from the FIFA. At the hearing I indicated that I submitted two written statements outlining my position. I expressed my disappointment with the way in which the enquiry was conducted as I was given less than twenty four hours to submit a statement for consideration by the committee and, moreover, one of the five members of the Committee is from Uruguay and did not have the value of a translated version of my or Mr bin Hammam's submission. This lack of translation services brings into question the issue of due process. In addition, FIFA did not have the courtesy to provide me with copies of the allegations before the hearing and it was only during the hearing were the allegations read to me. At the hearing, among other things, I was asked about the special meeting with the CFU to hear Mr Bin Hammam and whether such a meeting was normal I indicated that President Blatter earlier this year had held a similar meeting in South Africa with thirty seven countries and no objections had been made of that to date. In fact this has been the practice of FIFA in holding meetings with member countries before elections. I denied the allegations that I made statements at the CFU meeting about gifts being given by Mr Bin Hammam. I also indicated that at the Miami CONCACAF Congress on May 3rd Mr. Blatter made a gift of one million USD to CONCACAF to spend as it deems fit. This annoyed President Michel Platini who was present and he approached Secretary General Jerome Valcke complaining that Mr Blatter had no permission from the Finance Committee to make this gift to which Jerome replied that he will find the money for Mr Blatter. I also indicated at the CFU meeting held in Trinidad on May 10 which was requested by Mr. Bin Hammam, FIFA through Mr. Blatter organised gifts of laptops and projectors to all members of the Caribbean and no objections have been made today of this to date. In my statement I attached letters from thirteen Federations whose members attended the CFU Meeting where the allegations of gifts were made. These statements from the 13 members denied the allegations that have been made against me and any participation of these individuals in the act complained of. While with regard to the allegation of payment only one statement was submitted by Collins & Collins. On May 18 when I realised that the political battle between Blatter and Bin Hammam was getting out of hand I wrote Secretary General Valcke telling him, among other things, that the outcome of the elections may cause some fracture in the Arab world which we can ill afford now and that I will like to ask Bin Hammam to withdraw from the race. To which Jerome replied to me and I quote : "For MBH, I never understood why he was running. If really he thought he had a chance or just being an extreme way to express how much he does not like anymore JSB. Or he thought you can buy FIFA as they bought the WC. I have a bet since day one, he will withdraw but on June 1st after his 10 min speech. By doing so he can say he push Blatter to make new commitments bla bla bla and get out under applause. Before means he is a looser. So...He will get some votes. Less than 60 today after CAF support. It will be the "coup de grace" if you would officially send a message as the CONCACAF President by saying CONCACAF supports unanimously. So I am not giving you an advice but just my feeling about what I think is the situation." Despite the plea from SG Valcke, I refused to give any advice about how CONCACAF will be voting. At no time during this matter was I ever contacted by Mr. Blazer nor did he contact the Executive or the Emergency Committee of the CONCACAF and it is informative for one to look at Mr Blazer's credibility by referring to the report of the NY District Court Judge in the matter between Master Card and Visa in the FIFA matter of 7th December 2006 . (para 213) Mr. Blazer's testimony was generally without credibility based on his attitude and demeanor on his evasive answers on cross-examination. (para 214) Thus, for that reason and based on his evasive answers and his attitude and demeanor, Mr. Blazer's testimony as the March 14, 2006 Marketing & TV AG Board meeting is rejected as fabricated. The complaints made in this matter are politically motivated against Mr Bin Hammam and me and are designed, among other things, to cause serious prejudice and damage to both Mr Bin Hammam and myself at one of the most critical times for the FIFA. It is also shocking that at the close of an inquiry at around 5:47pm when the decision was already delivered new evidence in the form of a fax from the Puerto Rico FF appears making allegations which were treated as part of the evidence in this matter. This further demonstrates in the way the enquiry was conducted and the prejudice against me. The decision to suspend me is an abuse of the process and achieves no real purpose as stated in the decision and again demonstrates the bias of this enquiry. I intend to say a lot more on this matter shortly. In the meantime, I will vigorously defend my reputation as well as the reputation of the rest of the Caribbean members. Respectfully submitted Sgd Jack Warner
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Warner tells Sky Sports in an interview that Blatter must be stopped.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Is there a better scenario at this point than having Warner and Blatter try to fry each other? They're going to say all sorts of shit and leak all sorts of shit. It'll be MAD for them.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Ideally if Blatter, Jack, and Bin all start talking about each other; it would be great. This is like a good movie plot right now.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing id say its looking like warner will go no holds barred, everyone fucking knows blatter is a corrupt old fuck
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Here is a photo of the reported bribe to the Bahamas FA.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing It would be sweet to get a nice FA job in the Caribbean. Also this is just starting to come out as well FIFA sec gen Jerome Valcke confirms email he sent Warner suggesting 2022 World Cup was "bought" was genuine. "It was a private email."
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing Blatter presser coming up on Sky Sports News shortly. It is live on FSC till 1pm. Hopefully it happens in that time frame.
Re: Jack Warner and Mohamed bin Hammam called in for FIFA Bribery Hearing And the war has begun with Warner FIFA's Valcke claims Qatar "bought" 2022 World Cup ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke confirmed Monday that he sent a private e-mail suggesting Qatar had "bought'' the right to host the 2022 World Cup. The e-mail was made public by FIFA Vice President Jack Warner after he was suspended by FIFA on Sunday over bribery allegations in Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam's campaign to replace Sepp Blatter as its president. "For MBH, I never understood why he was running,'' Valcke told Warner in the e-mail. "If really he thought he had a chance or just being an extreme way to express how much he does not like anymore JSB (Blatter). Or he thought you can buy FIFA as they bought the WC.'' Valcke, speaking before attending a CONCACAF meeting in Zurich, said: "It was a private email and we will discuss it. He sent me an email asking if I want that (bin Hammam to run), he said that I should ask bin Hammam to pull out.'' Asked whether's Valcke's assertion about Qatar 2022 in the e-mail was true, bin Hammam responded Monday by saying: "What do you think? "You would have to ask Jerome Valcke what he was thinking,'' he told the BBC when asked about the e-mail's contents. "I don't know why he has said that. "If I was paying money for Qatar you also have to ask the 13 people who voted for Qatar.'' A FIFA ethics panel on Sunday found there was sufficient evidence to further investigate allegations that bin Hammam and Warner, the now-suspended president of CONCACAF, offered $40,000 bribes to delegates at a Caribbean football association meeting earlier this month ahead of the presidential election on Wednesday. Warner said he told the panel that Blatter gave a $1 million "gift'' of FIFA money to a meeting of CONCACAF to spend "as it deems fit.'' Warner said the money given to CONCACAF - the regional body for North, Central America and the Caribbean - "annoyed'' UEFA President Michel Platini. However, Platini saw things differently on Monday. "It's not like that, it was a joke with me and Mr. Blatter,'' Platini said. "He can give the projects that he wants to give. I joke, I said, 'But Sepp this was not accepted by the committee,' - but he can give many projects to many national associations and we will confirm in the GOAL project after. "In many Congresses for many, many years the president can give one or two projects to national associations - he has his own budget and he can give to one confederation and then it has to be approved of course by the executive committee next time.'' Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/soccer/05/30/valcke.qatar.ap/index.html#ixzz1NquzRf2o
Here is the link to the presser. Not started yet. Blatter is still getting make up on the horns. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/president/news/newsid=1443581.html
It will not end. At this rate; it is got to hit the US by Thursday at 2:20. http://www.torontosun.com/2011/05/30/new-concacaf-chief-turns-on-blazer-in-fifa-row
ridiculous, FIFA is going to get anal gaped and they know it, everyone is turning on each other, and to blazer
It's amazing how much more ethical Americans are than other nationalities. Hell, look at how we play soccer.
Us and Mexico need to tell these shitty Caribbean nations to STFU, we run this region and should threaten to form just a North and Central American confederation. No reason Aruba, Haiti, etc. should have the same voting power as we do.
Listening to BBC radio in the car and I just heard the English fa is trying to postpone the elections, but they need a 3/4 majority in the next 24 hours Any more to this that I missed?
Better question is how do we go from having a dude from Trinidad leading Concacaf, to a guy from Barbados? It's bullshit.
The USSF is weak. They have been backing Blatter from the beginning and continue to do so. Enough said. Also in news today; Warner urges Concacaf delegates to vote Blatter. Also the Bin has told the AFC not to boycott the vote tomorrow. More of the same.
Also Warner violated his ban by urging delegates to vote in the election. and not a single fuck was given by Jack.
At this point; there is not a single person at FIFA and in any federation around the world that is clean.
It is really not that simple. Remember these are the same folks that have been electing Blatter term after term. Change in FIFA will not truly happen until it happens at the FA levels. Also do not think any thing would have happened if England got 2018 and USA got 2022. England is acting like a scorned lover now trying to get revenge.
So what exactly did Blazer get fired for? Having people looking into whether or not Warner is corrupt