Mohamed Bin Hammam on Monday announced that he had resigned from his roles on FIFA’s executive committee and as president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The Qatari told AFP in an emailed statement that he had stepped down from the positions 10 days after the ethics committee of football’s world governing body FIFA, launched a new probe into corruption claims against him.
The 63-year-old has been accused of trying to buy the result of a vote to the world governing body’s top job in 2011 and was banned by FIFA from all footballing activities.
This ban was subsequently overturned by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July due to what it called a lack of evidence over the corruption allegations.
Bin Hammam, who is still provisionally suspended from football, said he was fed up with what he said were “trumped up allegations”.
“For me, the decision by CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport), the highest independent authority in sports arbitration, that FIFA’s ban was unjustified is enough,” he said in the statement.
“This decision has been now confirmed by a new Investigatory Chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee who failed to introduce any evidence in spite of spending tens of millions of dollars for an investigation.
“I do not want to spend any more of my life fighting trumped up allegations and to focus instead on my family and businesses. However, if further allegations are made I will, of course, defend myself in the same way that I did in the past.”
Last month, the AFC said it was looking to replace bin Hammam following a unanimous decision to hold presidential elections next year.
According to insiders, interim president Zhang Jilong of China is favourite to claim the post full-time and last month said he had “promised a new vision for AFC” in a “new era of transparency” after nine years of bin Hammam being at the helm.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It is hard to say that Bin Hammam was better or worse than the others. He took on the Big Dog and was summarily mauled. I rather suspect that if he didn't go for the FIFA Presidency then he would still be in charge. It is the system that needs a dramatic overhaul. There are good, hard working and honest people out there supporting football at the highest levels, there are also autocrats and people with somewhat questionable morals. The challenge is to arrange things so that the former dominate. Good governance is they key phrase.
Ballymore
Guest
There won't be any tears shed in Australia for Mohamed Bin Hammam, however we should recognise the role he played in our acceptance into AFC. Former FFA CEO John O'Neill spoke glowingly about the now infamous Qatari in his autobiography for this reason.
The Kebab Connoisseur
Guest
Wonder how it cost us to get into the AFC? I do recall in the 1990s David Hill tried to get us out of Oceania and into Asia. It was voted down 202 v 1(us). What happened to alter that vote I wonder?
daniel
Guest
Can't say im sad to see him go. I think its fitting that someone as clearly corrupt as Bin Hammam is forced to resign by equally corrupt and dodgy claims against him. The only downside is that it still means there is a lot of corruption within the heart of FIFA itself. The sooner Blatter is removed, the better. Lets hope that Jilong lives up to his promise of transparency and fairness. Not holding my breath though,,,
Bondy.
Guest
An the control of asian football now moves away from mid west asia to south east asia,i'm suprised we didnt have a candidate for the top asian job. Power is corruption not money.
vinie
Guest
Thankyou for accepting Australia into the asian confederation