FIFA asked its ethics committee to investigate 16 Caribbean football leaders yesterday over a widening bribery scandal involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam. The officials are suspected in connection with being offered or taking $40,000 in cash to back Bin Hammam against FIFA President Sepp Blatter, then denying the corruption attempt to investigators led by former FBI director Louis Freeh.
The suspects from 11 Caribbean countries include Colin Klass of Guyana, a long-standing ally of former Caribbean football strongman Jack Warner. FIFA said that Klass, a member of the governing body’s Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee, has been provisionally suspended “after consideration of the specific information received on this matter.” FIFA says the 16 will be invited for fresh interviews by Freeh’s team as part of an investigation led by Robert Torres, a supreme court judge from Guam. “It is important to note that the investigations are still ongoing, and that it is therefore possible that further proceedings could be opened in the future,” FIFA said in a statement.
The list also includes Mark Bob Forde from Barbados, who was a FIFA-approved international referee for almost 20 years. Haiti federation president Yves Jean-Bart is also under investigation. He made a speech at the FIFA Congress on June 1 criticising English officials who wanted Blatter’s election delayed while corruption allegations were fully investigated. Read more