FIFA scandal: Caribbean members given 48 hours to reply or face sanctions
July 27th, 2011 - 5:07 pm ICT by IANSBridgetown (Barbados), July 27 (IANS/CMC) Regional football bosses have been given 48 hours to comply with FIFA enquiries into the controversial Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting in Trinidad and Tobago two months ago, or face sanctions from the powerful world governing body.
FIFA Tuesday followed through on its promise to further investigate the meeting where CFU member countries were apparently offered $40,000 bribes by former CFU head Jack Warner and ex-presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam, in return for their votes at the June 1 FIFA presidential elections.
After slapping Bin Hammam with a life ban Saturday, FIFA stated its intention to probe “the conduct of others who attended the meeting” and said Tuesday that CFU members would now have to “provide and report all relevant information in their possession”.
“Following this 48 hour period, the ethics committee will be asked to open the necessary ethics proceedings,” FIFA said.
“Truthful and complete reporting will be considered in mitigation by the ethics committee when deciding on potential sanctions.
“Any person who has relevant information but does not come forward during this 48 hour period will be subject to the full range of sanctions.”
Following the bribery allegations, both Bin Hammam and Warner were suspended pending an investigation but Warner tendered a shock resignation from FIFA last month and as a result, had all charges against him dropped and investigations discontinued.
Bin Hammam, who headed the Asian confederation, contested the charges but was found guilty Saturday following a two-day hearing in Zurich.
FIFA’s ethics committee also slapped one-year bans on CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester for their role in the scandal.
During the investigation headed by former FBI chief Louis Freeh into the corruption allegations, several CFU members refused to cooperate and claimed they had not been offered any monies. CFU, the governing body for Caribbean football, comprises 30 members.
–IANS/CMC
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- Jack Warner warns of more fallout from FIFA bribery scandal - Jul 26, 2011
- Hammam turns to Arbitration Court after FIFA rejects appeal - Sep 16, 2011
- Caribbean to come under FIFA microscope - Jul 25, 2011
- FIFA bans Jamaica chief for six months - Oct 15, 2011
- Suspended Caribbean soccer official to face FIFA graft probe Friday - Sep 20, 2011
- Vowing to clear name, Bin Hammam withdraws from FIFA presidential race - May 29, 2011
- Suspended AFC president Bin Hammam to appeal against FIFA decision - May 30, 2011
- Bin Hammam drags FIFA president Blatter to ethics committee (Lead) - May 27, 2011
- Warner accuses Caribbean officials of caving in to FIFA - Dec 24, 2011
- AFC president Hammam faces charges of bribery in FIFA - May 25, 2011
- Bin Hammam asks FIA Code and Ethics committee to investigate Blatter - May 27, 2011
- Football scandal: Warner slams FIFA over recent moves - Sep 12, 2011
- AFC president rubbishes bribery charges, to appear before FIFA (Lead) - May 26, 2011
- Football scandal: Warner alleges conspiracy against CFU - Oct 14, 2011
- Zhang Jilong is interim AFC chief after bin Hammam's suspension - May 30, 2011
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