FIFA official banned for three years over 2018, 2022 World Cup ‘vote-selling’ scam

LONDON - FIFA Executive Committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii have been suspended from all football-related activity for three years and one year respectively after being found guilty of asking for cash for votes in the battle to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The duo was in the 24-member committee that would vote to decide the destination of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups on December 2 in Zurich.

Temarii was accused of demanding around 1.5 million pounds from undercover journalists in order to build a sports academy, while Adamu was videotaped asking for around 500,000 pounds for a “personal project”.

The reporters were posing as lobbyists for a consortium of American companies purporting to help bring the World Cup back to the United States. No money changed hands.

Bidding countries, officials and national football associations are strictly prohibited from arranging deals in exchange for votes under FIFA rules.

Adamu was fined 6,341 pounds, while Temarii 3,170 pounds as part of the sanction against them.

Meanwhile, Adamu has outlined his displeasure at the verdict and confirmed that he will appeal against the verdict delivered by FIFA Ethics Committee Chairman Claudio Sulser.

“I am profoundly disappointed with the ethics committee’s findings and had honestly believed I would be exonerated of any charges by now. I am innocent of all the charges levelled against me by the ethics committee and I completely refute the decision they have made,” the Guardian quoted Adamu, as saying.

“As yet I have not been advised of the grounds of the ethics committee’s decision but, regardless, I will be lodging a full appeal against it with immediate effect,” he added.

England and Russia are competing for the 2018 World Cup along with joint bids by Belgium-Holland and Spain-Portugal.

The U.S. is bidding for 2022 with Australia, Japan, South Korea and Qatar. (ANI)