By Andrew Warshaw
November 18 – The FIFA bribery scandal that sent shock waves through world football and led to the departures of two of the sport’s most influential powerbrokers reached another milestone today when six more Caribbean officials were banned.
Patrick John (pictured), a former Prime Minister of Dominica, was barred from all football activity for two years by FIFA’s Ethics Committee and fined CH3,000 (£2,000/$3,300/€2,400) over the allegations that led to the life ban imposed on former Asian football chief Mohamed Bin Hammam and the resignation of veteran FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.
Montserrat Football Association President Vincent Cassell was suspended for 60 days while four other officials received bans of seven to 45 days.
Raymond Guishard of Anguilla got 45 days with a CH300 (£200/$330/€240) fine; Noel Adonis of Guyana a 30-day ban plus CH300 (£200/$330/€240); Tandica Hughes of Montserrat 15 days but not fined; and Everton Gonsalves of Antigua and Barbuda a one-week ban each and a fine of CH300 (£200/$330/€240).
In today’s rulings, FIFA said it had taken no action against Oliver Camps, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation President, Lionel Haven of the Bahamas and Patrick Mathurin of St. Lucia since they had already resigned.
Philippe White of Dominica and Damien Hughes of Anguilla were both exonerated.
Significantly, Gordon Derrick of Antigua and Barbuda was merely reprimanded, clearing him to be a candidate in the forthcoming Caribbean Football Union Presidential election.
Today’s raft of sanctions bring to 11 the number of Caribbean football leaders suspended for various lengths of time among 26 investigated over the corruption scandal, all of whom were allegedly offered or received $40,000 (£26,000/€30,000) in cash payments during Bin Hammam’s visit to Trinidad in May where he was trying to gain support in his campaign to oust FIFA President Sepp Blatter.
Four other officials in all have been reprimanded, five warned with six resignations including that of Warner.
Bin Hammam withdrew his election bid as soon as the scandal broke and is now appealing his life ban in the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
He is understood to simply want to clear his name without any ambition to return to football at senior level.
Once again, FIFA’s Ethics Committee did not specify the exact charges faced by those sanctioned, a source of immense frustration among those who uncovered the scandal and brought it into the public domain.
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