Bin Hammam hoping for fair trial
Reuters - Thursday 07 July 2011, 11:22
DOHA - Suspended Asian football chief
Mohamed Bin Hammam is unhappy at the way information was leaked
during a bribery investigation but wants a fair trial when he
appears at a FIFA Ethics Committee meeting later this month.
Bin Hammam is facing allegations that he attempted to bribe
members of the Caribbean Football Union in order to secure their
votes in the June FIFA election against Sepp Blatter at a
meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad in May.
The Ethics Committee meeting will be convened in Zurich on
July 22.
"Throughout this entire trial and investigation, there've
been continuous leaks of confidential information," the Qatari
wrote on his blog on Thursday.
"There've been comments made publicly by persons involved in
the process of investigation. I'd made it clear that there's
been a bias against me.
"Despite all these, I'm still looking for and hoping to
receive a fair hearing - one which will not be influenced by
any political agenda or motivation."
Bin Hammam and former CONCACAF chief Jack Warner were
provisionally suspended a few days before last month's vote to
elect FIFA's president.
While Warner resigned from FIFA, prompting the sport's
governing body to drop an investigation into him, Bin Hammam has
decided to face a full inquiry.
"I hope that the decision will be made solely by the members
of this committee and based solely on the facts presented and
not based on assumptions or the wishes of people outside the
committee," said Bin Hammam.
A source close to the Qatari say FIFA are keen for him to
quit so that it can close the case without further
embarrassment.
A guilty verdict could have ramifications for Qatar's
successful bid for the 2022 World Cup while if he was cleared
there could be calls for a re-run of FIFA's presidential
election, the source added.