Bin Hammam and Warner suspended pending result of FIFA investigation

World football’s governing body FIFA has confirmed that vice-president Jack Warner and executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam have been provisionally suspended{{more}} by the organization with immediate effect.

The announcement follows an enquiry by FIFA’s Ethics Committee, after alleged violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics, linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election.

FIFA released a statement on Sunday saying: “The Ethics, Committee considered that a provisional suspension was required while the investigation continues, taking into account the gravity of the case and the likelihood that a breach of the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code has been committed”.

The sudden twist of events, also sees the Qatari billionaire, bin Hammam, pulling out of the race to head football’s world governing body, FIFA.

The move by bin Hammam came hours before the 62-year-old Asian Football Confederation chief was due to face an ethics committee hearing into bribery claims.

Bin Hammam had been due to stand against incumbent FIFA chief Sepp Blatter.

Blatter, though, has been cleared over bribery allegations.

The bribery allegations against Hammam stemmed from a report by FIFA Executive Committee member Chuck Blazer.

He alleged that the Qatari and FIFA’s Vice-President Warner jointly organised a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) earlier in May, and that a special monetary “gift” was presented to those who attended.

The Meeting, which was staged in Trinidad and Tobago on May 10 and 11, saw Hammam footing the airfare of all the visiting delegates, their accomodation, and the cost of staging the meeting.

The meeting was linked to the upcoming FIFA presidential election, as Hammam did not get an opportunity to address the CONCACAF Congress, the week prior in Miami, as he did not possess a United States of America entry visa.

Warner argued then that it was only fair to Hammam to interface with the regional delegates, since the incumbent Blatter had the opportunity to address the CONCACAF Congress and present his case to them.

Hammam stressed his withdrawal must not be tied to the investigation held by the FIFA ethics committee, pledging that he would appear before the panel to clear his name.

His decision not to run means that Blatter is the only remaining candidate in the election of the new FIFA president, scheduled for Wednesday, June 1, in Zurich Switzerland.

For Warner, it is also not the first time his name has been embroiled in alleged wrong-doing. In 1989, when, as President of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, Warner was accused of deliberately ordering the overselling of match tickets for Trinidad and Tobago’s final group match against the USA at the National Stadium in Trinidad and Tobago.

Leading up to the 2006 World Cup Finals in Germany, Warner was entangled in a melee over the sale of the Trinidad and Tobago quota of tickets for the finals, as well as other travel packages involving businesses in which he had direct ownership.

Warner was at the center of allegations with England’s failed bid to host the 2018 FIFA finals.

Lord Triesman, England’s chief bidder, alleged that Warner had approached them for personal favours in Trinidad and Tobago to perk their bid process.

Meanwhile, Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, two Caribbean Football Union officials, have also been suspended from activity connected with the game until a full inquiry into bribery allegations against them are completed by the sport’s World governing body.

FIFA’s ethics committee said it was satisfied that there was a case for the officials to answer.(RT)