Filed under: Football
Mohamed bin Hammam has been hit with a life ban from the game after being found guilty of bribery charges by Fifa's ethics committee.Asian Football Confederation president Hammam was running for Fifa's presidency against incumbent Sepp Blatter before being suspended after allegedly bribing presidential election voters.
And one of the biggest corruption scandals in the history of the game concluded Saturday when a two-day Fifa ethics committee hearing ordered bin Hammam be banned from all international and national football activity.
It completes a spectacular fall from grace for bin Hammam, who denied any wrongdoing. It is only a few weeks ago that he was attempting to become the most powerful man in the game.
He becomes the most senior Fifa official ever to be convicted of corruption in its 107-year history.
But the news is hardly a surprise to Bin Hammam, who played a key role when his country Qatar was surprisingly awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup.
The 62-year-old said before the hearing that he believed football's governing body had already decided to find him guilty of bribery allegations, although he mainted that "justice will prevail".
"I am not confident that the hearing will be conducted in the manner any of us would like," said Hammam said in a statement on his website.
"It seems likely that Fifa has already made its decision weeks ago.
"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."
His ban means he cannot be involved with any club even at grassroots level, although no-one could stop him buying a ticket at the gate and watching a match as a spectator.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/07/23/fifa-ban-mohamed-bin-hammam-banned-from-football-for-life/
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