26 May 2011

FIFA investigates officials over bribery allegations

6:25 am on 26 May 2011

Senior officials at football's world governing body FIFA are under investigation for alleged bribery.

The officials include FIFA vice-president Jack Warner and the president of the Asian Football Confederation, Mohamed bin Hammam.

Both men have issued statements denying any wrongdoing.

The accusations come days before Mohamed bin Hammam's attempt to unseat Sepp Blatter as FIFA president of football's governing body.

The other two accused officials are from the Caribbean Football Union.

All four have been summoned to appear before FIFA's ethics committee on Sunday, three days before the vote for the presidency.

The allegations, including bribery, were made in a report executive committee member, Chuck Blazer.

FIFA said Mr Blazer's report referred to a Caribbean Football Union meeting attended by Mr Warner and Mr Bin Hammam on 10 and 11 May and was linked to the election campaign.

Last year two FIFA executive committee members - one of them the Oceania Football Confederation president, Reynald Temarii - were banned from football-related activity for allegedly offering to sell their votes in two World Cup hosting contests.