By Andrew Warshaw
May 11 – The stunning fresh corruption allegations involving six of FIFA’s most powerful administrators will be dealt with before the upcoming Congress at the end of May, Sepp Blatter pledged today.
Blatter wants evidence from former England 2018 chairman Lord Triesman, the man who disclosed the new claims of unlawful backhanders, before the Congress starts on May 31.
Speaking on Al Jazeera television’s English language service, Blatter, who is standing for re-election 24 hours later on June 1, said he could not wait beyond then to resolve the latest crisis to rock FIFA.
With 208 nations and the whole of the FIFA hierarchy converging on Zurich, Blatter said:”We have to do it very fast.
“We have a congress to come and have to deal with this matter before the congress and not just kick it out of the minds of FIFA and [say] we will deal with it afterwards.
“We have to do it now, immediately, and we have three weeks.
“We must accelerate the movement, whether [the outcome is] for the good or for the bad.”
The new allegations of illegal inducements were made by both Triesman, former chairman of England’s 2018 bid team, and by MPs who made public information they had received from the Sunday Times newspaper.
Blatter’s promise of a speedy resolution were backed up by his number two, Jerome Valcke, sending a letter to Football Association chairman David Bernstein.
The correspondence, on behalf of FIFA, requested “a complete report … on the statements he [Triesman] made yesterday in front of the House of Commons, as well as any and all documentary evidence at his disposal in relation to those statements.”
The letter continued: “The FIFA Secretary General has also sent a letter to The Sunday Times to ask the newspaper to provide FIFA with any piece of evidence with regard to the statements made to MP John Whittingdale.”
In his letter to The FA, made public by FIFA, Valcke expressed “the extreme concern of FIFA and the FIFA President at the latest allegations questioning the integrity of some FIFA Executive Committee members in connection with the bidding procedure for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
“To examine the situation thoroughly and with clear-sightedness, FIFA asks The FA to submit a complete report from Lord David Triesman, by means of which the latter would relate his declarations fully and provide any and all documentary evidence at his disposal.
“In addition, the FIFA Secretary General also asks The FA to assist in providing FIFA with the Parliamentary records/report in connection with the statements and testimonies made by Lord David Triesman at the House of Commons.”
Interestingly, Valcke makes it clear that FIFA had assumed The Sunday Times had already completed its expose of corruption. Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynauld Temarii of Tahiti have already been suspended as a result of the paper’s undercover operation.
But now one third of the entire Executive Committee are being tarnished.
“FIFA asks the English newspaper to submit as soon as possible any other piece of evidence that it may be in possession of and which has not yet been sent to FIFA,” the letter says.
“In particular, reference is made in the letter to the allegations regarding a ‘whistleblower who had worked with the Qatar bid’, who allegedly made some declarations regarding the matter in question.”
Meanwhile, Mohamed Bin Hammam, Blatter’s challenger for President who secured the 2022 World Cup for Qatar, denied claims the country paid bribes for votes.
Africans Issa Hayatou and Jacques Anouma were alleged by The Sunday Times’ submission to MPs to have been paid $1.5 million (£917,000) to vote for Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid.
Bin Hammam, the President of the Asian Football Confederation, refuted the claims and demanded proof.
“I can assure you nothing like this has happened from our side,” he told Press Association.
“If someone wants to damage reputations like this then they have to provide the proof.
“You can’t just accuse people just like that.”
“It didn’t happen. It is fine to say something, to try to damage the reputation of somebody but where is the proof?”
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