Above: Mohammed Bin Hammam (Photo: FIFA/Simon Bruty)
At least nine football associations were either offered or accepted cash gifts of $40,000 at a meeting in Port of Spain with 25 members of the Caribbean Football Union in May, according to the latest iteration of FIFA’s Ethics Committee Report. The investigation, which is led by former US Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Louis Freeh, was completed at the end of last week. Trinidad Minister Jack Warner was at the center of the probe until he resigned his post as FIFA vice president last month. FIFA’s Ethics Committee is set to meet July 22, focusing on the alleged actions of Mohammed Bin Hammam, who had been running for FIFA president. Thus far, five Caribbean associations — Puerto Rico, Suriname, Grenada, Aruba and Curacao, have told investigators that they were offered or given money in brown envelopes. [ESPN]
The Caribbean Journal staff contributed reporting.