Bin Hammam protests over Congress absence
Reuters - Wednesday 01 June 2011, 08:40
ZURICH - FIFA's former presidential
candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam, temporarily banned over
cash-for-votes allegations, was barred entry to football governing
body's annual congress on Wednesday.
The Qatari, who withdrew his candidacy shortly before being
banned by FIFA's ethics committee on Sunday, said he would never
accept they way in which his name had been tarnished.
"I will never accept how my name and my reputation have been
damaged. I will fight for my rights. I thank all the people who
have supported me during the last weeks and will support me
further," Bin Hammam said in a statement.
"Good days bring you happiness, bad days bring you
experience," added Bin Hammam, who cannot exercise his duties as
president of the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA executive
committee member while he is banned.
Bin Hammam's withdrawal has left incumbent Sepp Blatter set
to be re-elected unopposed later on Wednesday.
A statement issued by Bin Hammam's spokesman said: "Despite
his explicit written request, he was not provided with the
motivated decision of his suspension in due course and he was
not able to file his appeal and was denied his last opportunity
to get access to the FIFA congress.
"There is absolutely no justification for a suspension.
The statement also criticised the conduct of FIFA secretary
general Jerome Valcke.
"The suspension is not necessary to conduct the
investigation but constituted a grave violation of his
reputation and created substantial damage without any necessity.
"The behaviour of the FIFA secretary general at the media
conference on Sunday evening was absolutely unacceptable and
against all principles of justice," it added.
"Sitting next to the chairman of the independent ethics
committee, he abused the event to voice his personal opinions
and to comment on the results.
"Because of this very unfair treatment, Mohamed Bin Hammam
reserves all his rights, against this unprofessional and
one-sided attitude, with the judicial bodies of FIFA and
beyond."