Fifa in crisis live blog – Bin Hammam out of race as ethics committee meets | John Ashdown
May 29, 2011 No Comment
• Bin Hammam vows to clear name after withdrawing • Fifa ethics committee hearing meeting later on Sunday • Email your thoughts to john.ashdown@guardian.co.uk 1.11pm: This whole shebang was kicked off, of course, by our old friend Chuck Blazer, a man who likes to wear his trousers high . In fact, while we’re waiting for Fifa’s announcement, you could do worse than take a tour through Chuck’s blog . Halloween is a particular highlight. 12.53pm: So who is the man in charge of today’s proceeedings? You can read about Petrus Damaseb here and here 12.30pm: So the pieces are being placed on the board. Here’s Matt Scott in Zurich: “MBH has come in to Fifa House in the back seat of a large black limo to face Petrus Damaseb’s ethics committee.” 12.22pm: Today is all about a Fifa meeting. And thanks to Fifa.com, you can re-live the best bits (no, really) of Fifa meetings past . Will this week’s bunfight make it on to that list? Who knows. Yes, this does smack of filler, doesn’t it. Only four hours 38 minutes to go! 12.06pm: The ever excellent Paul Hayward’s view : In their official literature, Fifa kindly offer a list of the honours bestowed on President Sepp Blatter for his efforts to make the world a better place. On his wanderings, the supreme leader has picked up a knighthood from the Sultanate of Pahang, the Medalla al Mérito Deportivo from Bolivia, the French Legion of Honour, the Dove of Geneva and countless honorary doctorates. The scroll is longer even than the charge sheet confronting Fifa officials on Sunday in Zurich, where Blatter, his presidential rival Mohamed bin Hammam and the ubiquitous Jack Warner are among those up before the world governing body’s Ethics Committee – itself increasingly an example of Orwellian doublespeak. All across the globe – certainly in the Arab states – the cult of the leader is under attack. But Fifa still manage to mimic the kind of hilltop state employed by the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup. Yet Fifa are not Freedonia and they are not bankrupt: Groucho’s big problem, as head of state. Blatter and his committees sit on reserves of $1.28bn and emote obsessively about spreading this largesse around the five continents, even though no one seems able to say clearly where all the money ends up. In his mission statement, headed “Fifa Brand – Our commitment” (note the word brand), Blatter makes a “promise” – “For the Games, For the World”. He says: “The world is a place rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, but also one where many are still deprived of their basic rights. Fifa now have an even greater responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration.” Right now the world would probably rather not be “touched” by Fifa. 11.55am: Franz Beckenbauer has offered Uncle Sepp his support: “He did a wonderful job,” the former Germany captain told Radio 5 Live. “It’s not easy. Fifa is like the United Nations – we have 208 members. It’s not an easy to handle, but I think Blatter and his staff are doing a wonderful job.” ‘A wonderful job’? Really? 11.48am: The big news this morning is that Mohamed Bin Hammam has withdrawn from the presidential race. Here’s Matt Scott, in Zurich : Mohamed bin Hammam has withdrawn from the race to become the next Fifa president and has vowed to clear his name when he appears before the body’s ethics committee. The president of the Asian Football Confederation is facing bribery allegations, alongside the Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, while the organisation’s president, Sepp Blatter, is being investigated for knowing about alleged bribery. Bin Hammam’s decision to pull out of the election means Blatter is unopposed in his attempt to secure a fourth term as the head of world football in Wednesday’s vote. Bin Hammam said: “I pray that my withdrawal will not be tied to the investigation held by the Fifa ethics committee as I will appear before the ethics committee to clear my name from the baseless allegations that have been made against me. “I promise those who stood by me that I will walk with my head held high and will continue to fight for the good of the game. “I have a special thank you to my friend and colleague Jack Warner for his unlimited support. I am sorry to see that he has to suffer because of me, but I am promising him that I will be with him all the way through thick and thin. “I look forward to working closely with my colleagues to restore Fifa’s reputation to what it should be – a protector of the game that has credibility through honesty, transparency and accountability. It saddens me that standing up for the causes I believed in has come at a great price – the degradation of Fifa’s reputation. This is not what I had in mind for Fifa and this is unacceptable. “I cannot allow the game that I love to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. The game itself and the people who love it around the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election.” Bin Hammam’s withdrawal is only one hurdle for Blatter to overcome in his attempt to extend his tenure into a fourth term. The corruption allegations that have engulfed world football and destroyed Bin Hammam’s candidacy also threaten him: like the Qatari challenger, he faces an ethics committee hearing on Sunday. Today’s order of play, as it were: • Starting this morning: Fifa’s ethics committee meets in Zurich. • At 5pm there will be a press conference where the committee’s findings will be revealed. As a grandiose Fifa statement today explains: Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, as well as Caribbean Football Union officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, have been invited to attend a hearing by the Fifa ethics committee at the home of Fifa in Zurich on the same day. The meeting, which starts in the morning, will be followed by a press conference in the auditorium of the home of Fifa, planned for 6pm CET [5pm BST] (time subject to change). The press conference will be attended by deputy chairman of the Fifa ethics committee, Petrus Damaseb and Fifa secretary general Jérôme Valcke. Fifa Football politics Sepp Blatter Mohamed bin Hammam John Ashdown guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Fifa in crisis live blog – Bin Hammam out of race as ethics committee meets | John Ashdown
May 29, 2011 No Comment
• Bin Hammam vows to clear name after withdrawing • Fifa ethics committee hearing meeting later on Sunday • Email your thoughts to john.ashdown@guardian.co.uk 1.11pm: This whole shebang was kicked off, of course, by our old friend Chuck Blazer, a man who likes to wear his trousers high . In fact, while we’re waiting for Fifa’s announcement, you could do worse than take a tour through Chuck’s blog . Halloween is a particular highlight. 12.53pm: So who is the man in charge of today’s proceeedings? You can read about Petrus Damaseb here and here 12.30pm: So the pieces are being placed on the board. Here’s Matt Scott in Zurich: “MBH has come in to Fifa House in the back seat of a large black limo to face Petrus Damaseb’s ethics committee.” 12.22pm: Today is all about a Fifa meeting. And thanks to Fifa.com, you can re-live the best bits (no, really) of Fifa meetings past . Will this week’s bunfight make it on to that list? Who knows. Yes, this does smack of filler, doesn’t it. Only four hours 38 minutes to go! 12.06pm: The ever excellent Paul Hayward’s view : In their official literature, Fifa kindly offer a list of the honours bestowed on President Sepp Blatter for his efforts to make the world a better place. On his wanderings, the supreme leader has picked up a knighthood from the Sultanate of Pahang, the Medalla al Mérito Deportivo from Bolivia, the French Legion of Honour, the Dove of Geneva and countless honorary doctorates. The scroll is longer even than the charge sheet confronting Fifa officials on Sunday in Zurich, where Blatter, his presidential rival Mohamed bin Hammam and the ubiquitous Jack Warner are among those up before the world governing body’s Ethics Committee – itself increasingly an example of Orwellian doublespeak. All across the globe – certainly in the Arab states – the cult of the leader is under attack. But Fifa still manage to mimic the kind of hilltop state employed by the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup. Yet Fifa are not Freedonia and they are not bankrupt: Groucho’s big problem, as head of state. Blatter and his committees sit on reserves of $1.28bn and emote obsessively about spreading this largesse around the five continents, even though no one seems able to say clearly where all the money ends up. In his mission statement, headed “Fifa Brand – Our commitment” (note the word brand), Blatter makes a “promise” – “For the Games, For the World”. He says: “The world is a place rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, but also one where many are still deprived of their basic rights. Fifa now have an even greater responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration.” Right now the world would probably rather not be “touched” by Fifa. 11.55am: Franz Beckenbauer has offered Uncle Sepp his support: “He did a wonderful job,” the former Germany captain told Radio 5 Live. “It’s not easy. Fifa is like the United Nations – we have 208 members. It’s not an easy to handle, but I think Blatter and his staff are doing a wonderful job.” ‘A wonderful job’? Really? 11.48am: The big news this morning is that Mohamed Bin Hammam has withdrawn from the presidential race. Here’s Matt Scott, in Zurich : Mohamed bin Hammam has withdrawn from the race to become the next Fifa president and has vowed to clear his name when he appears before the body’s ethics committee. The president of the Asian Football Confederation is facing bribery allegations, alongside the Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, while the organisation’s president, Sepp Blatter, is being investigated for knowing about alleged bribery. Bin Hammam’s decision to pull out of the election means Blatter is unopposed in his attempt to secure a fourth term as the head of world football in Wednesday’s vote. Bin Hammam said: “I pray that my withdrawal will not be tied to the investigation held by the Fifa ethics committee as I will appear before the ethics committee to clear my name from the baseless allegations that have been made against me. “I promise those who stood by me that I will walk with my head held high and will continue to fight for the good of the game. “I have a special thank you to my friend and colleague Jack Warner for his unlimited support. I am sorry to see that he has to suffer because of me, but I am promising him that I will be with him all the way through thick and thin. “I look forward to working closely with my colleagues to restore Fifa’s reputation to what it should be – a protector of the game that has credibility through honesty, transparency and accountability. It saddens me that standing up for the causes I believed in has come at a great price – the degradation of Fifa’s reputation. This is not what I had in mind for Fifa and this is unacceptable. “I cannot allow the game that I love to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. The game itself and the people who love it around the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election.” Bin Hammam’s withdrawal is only one hurdle for Blatter to overcome in his attempt to extend his tenure into a fourth term. The corruption allegations that have engulfed world football and destroyed Bin Hammam’s candidacy also threaten him: like the Qatari challenger, he faces an ethics committee hearing on Sunday. Today’s order of play, as it were: • Starting this morning: Fifa’s ethics committee meets in Zurich. • At 5pm there will be a press conference where the committee’s findings will be revealed. As a grandiose Fifa statement today explains: Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, as well as Caribbean Football Union officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, have been invited to attend a hearing by the Fifa ethics committee at the home of Fifa in Zurich on the same day. The meeting, which starts in the morning, will be followed by a press conference in the auditorium of the home of Fifa, planned for 6pm CET [5pm BST] (time subject to change). The press conference will be attended by deputy chairman of the Fifa ethics committee, Petrus Damaseb and Fifa secretary general Jérôme Valcke. Fifa Football politics Sepp Blatter Mohamed bin Hammam John Ashdown guardian.co.uk
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General secretary of University and College Union says coalition is ‘fundamental threat’, undermining work done in further and higher education Education spending cuts put the UK at risk of turning into “yesterday’s country”, the leader of the university lecturers’ union has warned. In a scathing attack on the government, Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) , says the coalition is a “fundamental threat”, undermining the work done in further and higher education. In a speech to delegates at the UCU’s annual conference in Harrogate, she will say that while all public services are facing cuts, universities and colleges have been “singled out for special treatment”, with spending slashed by 17% over the next two years. UCU represents more than 120,000 academics and other staff. “The cost to our country of this attack on education will be substantial,” Hunt will say, adding: “When you weigh the cost of keeping kids on benefit versus giving them a chance in life, it is ignorance that is the expensive option, not education.” She will tell delegates the UK is at risk of losing its place as a world leader for education. “Since the turn of the century, the UK’s qualification rates have been overtaken by Iceland, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, the US, Sweden, Denmark and Norway,” she will add. “It is possible that all those countries are wrong to be investing more in education and we are right, but I doubt it. A country equipped with yesterday’s skills will soon become yesterday’s country. “If the legacy the coalition inherited was far from golden, what they have done in this area since May beggars belief. “Last year, UCU showed that the only league table the UK tops is that of the most expensive place to get a public education in the world – and that was before the tripling of university fees and the axing of the education maintenance allowance. “What an indictment of this government that, within six months, they had made it harder to go to college and more expensive to go to university. “They claim their goal is to promote social mobility, but we must judge them by what they do, not what they say. In reality, coalition policy is about putting barriers up, not pulling them down.” The universities and science minister, David Willetts, said: “We agree that education is critical for social mobility and economic growth. That is why we are funding 250,000 more apprenticeships over this parliament, improving careers advice and transforming university finance. “We estimate universities will receive 10% more teaching income by 2014/15. But, crucially, funding will follow the decisions of students so successful universities will thrive.” Higher education Further education Education policy Liberal-Conservative coalition David Willetts Trade unions guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …General secretary of University and College Union says coalition is ‘fundamental threat’, undermining work done in further and higher education Education spending cuts put the UK at risk of turning into “yesterday’s country”, the leader of the university lecturers’ union has warned. In a scathing attack on the government, Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) , says the coalition is a “fundamental threat”, undermining the work done in further and higher education. In a speech to delegates at the UCU’s annual conference in Harrogate, she will say that while all public services are facing cuts, universities and colleges have been “singled out for special treatment”, with spending slashed by 17% over the next two years. UCU represents more than 120,000 academics and other staff. “The cost to our country of this attack on education will be substantial,” Hunt will say, adding: “When you weigh the cost of keeping kids on benefit versus giving them a chance in life, it is ignorance that is the expensive option, not education.” She will tell delegates the UK is at risk of losing its place as a world leader for education. “Since the turn of the century, the UK’s qualification rates have been overtaken by Iceland, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, the US, Sweden, Denmark and Norway,” she will add. “It is possible that all those countries are wrong to be investing more in education and we are right, but I doubt it. A country equipped with yesterday’s skills will soon become yesterday’s country. “If the legacy the coalition inherited was far from golden, what they have done in this area since May beggars belief. “Last year, UCU showed that the only league table the UK tops is that of the most expensive place to get a public education in the world – and that was before the tripling of university fees and the axing of the education maintenance allowance. “What an indictment of this government that, within six months, they had made it harder to go to college and more expensive to go to university. “They claim their goal is to promote social mobility, but we must judge them by what they do, not what they say. In reality, coalition policy is about putting barriers up, not pulling them down.” The universities and science minister, David Willetts, said: “We agree that education is critical for social mobility and economic growth. That is why we are funding 250,000 more apprenticeships over this parliament, improving careers advice and transforming university finance. “We estimate universities will receive 10% more teaching income by 2014/15. But, crucially, funding will follow the decisions of students so successful universities will thrive.” Higher education Further education Education policy Liberal-Conservative coalition David Willetts Trade unions guardian.co.uk
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• Bin Hammam withdraws from presidential election • ‘I will walk with my head held high,’ he says Mohamed bin Hammam has withdrawn from the race to become the next Fifa president and has vowed to clear his name when he appears before the body’s ethics committee. The president of the Asian Football Confederation is facing bribery allegations, alongside the Fifa vice-president Jack Warner, while the organisation’s current president Sepp Blatter is also being investigated for knowing about alleged bribery. Bin Hammam’s decision to pull out of the election means Blatter is currently unopposed in his attempt to secure a fourth term as the head of world football at Wednesday’s vote. Bin Hammam said: “I pray that my withdrawal will not be tied to the investigation held by the Fifa Ethics Committee as I will appear before the Ethics Committee to clear my name from the baseless allegations that have been made against me. “I promise those who stood by me that I will walk with my head held high and will continue to fight for the good of the game. “I have a special thank you to my friend and colleague Jack Warner for his unlimited support. I am sorry to see that he has to suffer because of me, but I am promising him that I will be with him all the way through thick and thin. “I look forward to working closely with my colleagues to restore Fifa’s reputation to what it should be – a protector of the game that has credibility through honesty, transparency and accountability.” Bin Hammam added: “It saddens me that standing up for the causes that I believed in has come at a great price – the degradation of FIFA’s reputation. This is not what I had in mind for FIFA and this is unacceptable. “I cannot allow the game that I love to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. The game itself and the people who love it around the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election.” Bin Hammam’s withdrawal from the Fifa presidential elections is only one hurdle for Blatter to overcome in his attempt to extend his tenure into a fourth term. The corruption allegations that have engulfed world football and destroyed Bin Hammam’s candidacy also threaten him: like the Qatari challenger, he faces an ethics committee hearing on Sunday. Blatter is accused of having given his approval to the payments allegedly arranged by Bin Hammam and Jack Warner for Caribbean Football Union officials. The ethics committee hearing arises after Bin Hammam and Warner were found in an inquiry conducted by the Concacaf confederation’s lawyer, John Collins, to have made $40,000 payments to Caribbean-based football federation officials. Both deny the charge. Collins’s inquiry also discovered that Warner had alleged Blatter was aware of the payments before the controversial CFU meeting took place. Bin Hammam subsequently raised the matter with Fifa’s general secretary, Jérôme Valcke, who referred it to the ethics committee as a matter of course. It is within the ethics committee’s power to ban all three men from all football activity if the charges are proven. However Warner warned he will blow the whistle on wider issues that beset Fifa, talking of a “football tsunami” . “The time has come when I must stop playing dead, it’s coming, trust me you’ll see it,” Warner told Trinidad and Tobago’s press. Mohamed bin Hammam Fifa Football politics Matt Scott guardian.co.uk
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