ZURICH, (Reuters)  – Suspended Asian soccer president Mohamed Bin Hammam questioned whether he would be fairly treated as a two-day hearing began yesterday into allegations that he tried to buy votes in the run-up to last month’s FIFA presidential election.
Describing the case against him as “flimsy”, the Qatari, who pulled out of the presidential race over the allegations and was then provisionally banned, said he would take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport or civil courts if necessary.
“I remain confident that the case and the evidence presented against me are weak and unsubstantiated,” he wrote on his personal website.
“They are flimsy and will not stand up to scrutiny in any court of law; that has been clear throughout this process and it remains to be so.”
The ethics committee is investigating whether Bin Hammam, 62, bribed Caribbean Football Union officials to vote for him at the FIFA presidential election, where Sepp Blatter was re-elected unopposed for a fourth term following his withdrawal.
The ethics committee is due to reach a verdict and announce its sanctions today.
Bin Hammam has been suspended from all football-related activities since May 29 along with CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester whose cases were also heard yesterday.
“I am not confident that the hearing will be conducted in the manner any of us would like,” Bin Hammam said as the committee began its hearing behind closed doors at the headquarters of soccer’s governing body in an upmarket Zurich suburb.
“It seems likely that FIFA has already made its decision weeks ago. So, none of us should be completely surprised if a guilty verdict is returned,” Bin Hammam said.
“Following the events since my suspension, it now seems impossible, for them to say that they were wrong, although I wish they would have the courage to correct their mistake,” he added.
“Rest assured, though, that justice will eventually prevail whether through the FIFA ethics committee, the Court of Arbitration of Sport or, if necessary, through other courts or legal proceedings in courts where we will be equal and no special privileges will be granted to either party.”
Several members of the CFU said they were offered inducements at a meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad on May 10-11 where Mingell and Sylvester are alleged to have handed over envelopes containing the money.