Accused pair deny FIFA report claims

Mohamed Bin Hammam and Jack Warner have again denied any wrongdoing after FIFA’s ethics committee found they had attempted bribery.

Namibian judge Petrus Damaseb compiled the preliminary report, which said there was a ‘compelling case’ Asian Football Confederation president Bin Hammam engaged in an act of bribery while Warner, vice-president of FIFA until Monday, was an accessory

The alleged meeting occurred in Trinidad on May 10-11, was before the FIFA was to hold their presidential electionin which Bin Hammam was seeking election.

But the pair have again denied the allegations against them.

“There is nothing I can say more than I deny the allegations and insist that I have not done anything wrong during the special congress at Trinidad,” Bin Hammam said in a statement.

Warner said: “I, Jack Warner, did not partake in the distribution of any cash gifts to my members. I hope for the good of the game, good sense will prevail or at least I will continue to live in hope.”

It is yet another battle the governing body is set to face.

After almost 30 years of service, Warner quit as FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF president on Monday and the investigation into bribery allegations against him declared ‘closed and the presumption of innocence (is) maintained’.

The report, leaked to the media on Wednesday, found Bin Hammam and Warner were involved in bribery.

“The comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming evidence permits to conclude prima facie that the accused (Warner) has initiated and arranged a special meeting of the CFU (Caribbean Fotball Union) member associations for Mr Bin Hammam,” the report said.

“Furthermore on the occasion of this meeting it seems that Mr Bin Hammam offered, at least indirectly and under the pledge of secrecy, to each of the member associations an envelope containing US$40,000.”

“The FIFA ethics committee is of the primary opinion that the accused (Warner) had knowledge of the respective payments and condoned them.”

“The committee is also of the opinion that the respective money gifts can probably only be explained if they are associated with the FIFA presidential elections of 1 June 2011.”

“Therefore it appears rather compelling to consider the actions of Mr Bin Hammam constitute prima facie an act of bribery, or at least an attempt to commit bribery.”

FIFA initially suspended the pair from duty before Warner launched a stinging attack on president Sepp Blatter, who he accused of bribery.

Bin Hammam consequently pulled out of the FIFA presidential election and Blatter was re-elected unopposed on June 1.

FIFA had no comment to make on the report.