Bin Hammam says hopes for fair trial

Friday, 8 July 2011 01:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: Suspended Asian soccer 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 (www.mohamedbinhammam.com) 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.