Blatter to be Investigated

FIFA descended into further farce yesterday as Sepp Blatter’s opponent accused him of corruption. Mohammad Bin Hammam is Blatter’s sole challenger for the post of FIFA President.

The move by Bin Hammam comes in response to FIFA’s move to investigate him after allegations made by the American delegate to FIFA Chuck Blazer about Bin Hammam’s attempt to procure votes by corrupt means.

Bin Hammam stands accused by Blazer of offering a Caribbean football official cash to finance football development projects in his country. That offical refused and informed Blazer, who felt obliged to report it to FIFA. Other people present at the meeting on May 10/11 in Trinidad where this is alleged to have occurred have substantiated the claim of the so far, unnamed whistleblower.

It is now alleged that bundles of cash of up to $40,000 were handed over to members of the Carribbean Football Union (CFU) at the meeting in Trinidad.

With unsurprising glee, Blatter used his position to launch an investigation into his opponent. This investigation is set to take place just two days before the vote between himself and Bin Hammam for FIFA President.

Hammam’s accusation today ensures that both candidates will be under investigation.

The basis of his accusation verges on the comical. He alleges Blatter knew about other payments and didn’t report them which is an offence but not close to what he has been accused of. It seems very weak indeed and Bin Hammam needs to provide some evidence.

At best, it may be an attempt to force FIFA to postpone the presidential election until both candidates have been investigated, and in Bin Hammam’s hopes, cleared.

Unfortunately for Bin Hammam, his best defence so far has been to rely on the probity of his co-accused, CONCACAF President Jack Warner.

That is looking an increasingly shaky edifice after further details, including an apparent smoking gun email, were released.

The allegations against Warner were fleshed out yesterday by the reprinting of an email sent by Warner, Bin Hammam’s alleged co-conspirator in the Carribean affair, to Lord Triesman once head of England’s World Cup 2018 bid.

The email had the feel of a smoking gun about it because Warner tried to procure $1.6m to buy out the rights to show the World Cup in Haiti from a previous rights holder who had lost everything apparently due to the earthquake in Haiti.

The problem is FIFA told the BBC had never sold those rights to anyone, and no such previous rights holder exists.

If Warner’s testimony is the best that Bin Hammam has in his defence, he is finished.

The only question that now remains is whether he can force FIFA to postpone the presidential vote and bring down Blatter with him.