FIFA Suspends Bin Hammam Pending Probe into New Allegations of Wrongdoing

(WFI) One week after the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted a lifetime ban on former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam, the Qatari is suspended by the federation's two new ethics chiefs.

Michel J. Garcia, chairman of the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee, and adjudicatory head Hans-Joachim Eckert started their work by provisionally slapping Bin Hammam with a 90-day ban from world football while they investigate fresh corruption allegations brought to them by the Asian Football Confederation.

The AFC last week opened a disciplinary case against Bin Hammam and provisionally suspended him from football after an internal audit alleged violations of the football body's statutes, disciplinary code and code of ethics.

A PwC report commissioned by the AFC alleges Bin Hammam enriched himself, family and friends from mismanagement of the confederation's finances.

The report raises concerns about Bin Hammam's influence in negotiations and awarding of broadcasting contracts with World Sport Group and the Al Jazeera television network. It also queries payments totalling $250,000 made to CONCACAF's former president Jack Warner as well as payments to a number of AFC member associations.

The two ethics chairman have moved quickly to begin their investigations into the AFC's accusations of financial wrongdoing after receiving the files from the AFC - FIFA's revamped ethics panel only started operations on July 25.

FIFA said in a statement: "The investigation aims inter alia at assessing the PwC report of 13 July 2012 in respect of potential misconduct on behalf of Mr Bin Hammam in the light of the provisions of the FIFA Code of Ethics and at assessing the prospects of collecting further evidence relevant to the recently closed CAS proceedings in the case of Mr Mohamed bin Hammam v/ FIFA as well as at undertaking investigative efforts to this end."

By INSIDER editor Mark Bisson

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