FIFA gives life ban to Bin Hammam

Bin Hamman life ban "no surprise" - BondFormer Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam has been banned from football for life after being found guilty of attempted bribery.

Ethics Committee of the governing body took the decision on Saturday after a two-day hearing.

Bin Hammam was accused of trying to buy votes before the presidential election of Fifa last month.

The 62-year-old Qatari withdrew from the elections, leaving Sepp Blatter to be re-elected unopposed.

The decision makes Bin Hammam figure highest rank in being banned by Fifa in its 107-year history.

The former head of the Asian Football Confederation is now should not be involved "in any activity relating to football at the national and international level for the life", Ethics Committee of Fifa Deputy Chairman Petrus Damaseb said on Saturday.

Legal Council of Bin Hammam said in a statement that it will continue to fight the case through every legal route available for him.

Aggregate statement: "the Fifa Ethics Committee had apparently based its decision to the so called 'circumstantial' evidence that has clearly demonstrated that our case was false and founded on lies, said a senior official of the Fifa."

"We have strictly observed the legal rules concerning confidentiality of these procedures and they do not share our testing, that is appealing, with the media."

"Fifa, either directly or through third parties, seems to have made the opposite with selective and continuous filtration of documentation that has been part of the same to the media to influence public opinion and create prejudice."

"It fully confident in the strength of our case and invite Fifa to make available now to the media a full transcript of these processes."

Bin Hammam, along with the former Vice President of Fifa Jack Warner, was suspended after a leaked report revealed four football (CFU) Caribbean Union associations or they were offered money, or saw that crime occurs, during a meeting in May.

It was alleged that envelopes stuffed with cash that contains up to $40,000 (￡ 25,000) were delivered to delegates at the meeting in port Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

The report says that there is "comprehensive, compelling and overwhelming" evidence that had paid bribes to officials in support of Bin Hammam for Fifa Presidency campaign, and that Warner had facilitated this.

Continue reading the story main on March 18, 2011 - Mohamed Bin Hammam announced intention to challenge Joseph Blatter for Fifa Presidencymay 25 - Fifa Announces is investigating four officials--among them Bin Hammam and Vice President Jack Warner - root of bribery allegations made by the Secretary general of CONCACAF Chuck BlazerMay 27 - Bin Hammam suggested Fifa President Joseph Blatter knew about the payments of alleged sobornoy that there is a conspiracy to stop him for Fifa PresidentMay 29 - Bin Hammam withdrew his presidential candidacy, but promises to clear his name on allegations. FIFA suspends Bin Hammam and Warner all activities relating to football and opens investigationon June 1 - Joseph Blatter re-elected as President of Fifa after running unopposedon June 20 - resigns Warner from its position in international football, avoiding the Fifa investigationJuly 23 - Fifa prohibits the Ethics Committee Bin Hammam of activity related to football for life

Warner Fifa resignation last month meant that it didn't have to deal with the Ethics Commission.

Two officials of the UFC, Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, were each banned for activity related football for a year for his involvement in the attempted bribery.

In a Friday blog post, Bin Hammam raised fears that he could not receive a fair trial in the audience.

"It is likely that Fifa has already made its decision weeks ago," he wrote.

"So none of us should be completely surprised if any is returned a verdict of guilt".

Before the hearing, Bin Hammam suggested that could be forced to appeal if the Committee found him guilty of the charges.

"You can be sure that justice will eventually prevail either by the Ethics Committee of Fifa, the Court of arbitration for sport, or if necessary, through other courts or judicial proceedings in the courts where it will be equal and without special privileges, may be granted to any of the parties", he wrote.

The Ethics Committee has now asked Fifa's legal department to prepare the cases against the Caribbean leaders of football that is suspected of knowing they have hidden cases of attempted bribery of Bin Hammam.

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