FIFA opens ethics probes into 16 officials

Posted Friday, August 12, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

* Investigation leads to 16 cases

* Guyanese official provisionally suspended

* More cases could follow say FIFA

MIAMI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - World soccer’s governing body FIFA said they have opened ethics proceedings against 16 Caribbean soccer federation officials, following an initial probe into cash-for-votes allegations.

The cases are related to the meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on May 10 and 11 where it was alleged that Qatari soccer official Mohammed bin Hammam handed out bribes to Caribbean members of CONCACAF—the regional body for soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Bin Hammam has been banned for life by FIFA but has protested his innocence along with ex-CONCACAF president Jack Warner, of Trinidad, who resigned before the investigation was completed.

One of the 16 officials - Colin Klass of Guyana—has already been provisionally suspended from taking part in any football-related activity, FIFA said.

FIFA said the cases were “apparent violations of the Code of Ethics” and the governing body did not rule out opening more cases if fresh evidence is uncovered.

“It is important to note that the investigations are still ongoing and it is therefore possible that further proceedings could be opened in the future,” said the statement.

The allegations, made after CONCACAF’s American general secretary Chuck Blazer reported the claims to FIFA, came shortly before the re-election of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Bin Hammam was challenging Blatter in the June 1 election but withdrew before the vote.

Several Caribbean officials described receiving brown envelopes containing $40,000 in cash.

The 16 officials facing investigation by FIFA are: David Hinds and Mark Bob Forde (Barbados); Franka Pickering and Aubrey Liburd (British Virgin Islands); David Frederick (Cayman Islands); Osiris Guzman and Felix Ledesma (Dominican Republic); Colin Klass and Noel Adonis (Guyana); Yves Jean-Bart (Haiti); Anthony Johnson (St. Kitts and Nevis); Patrick Mathurin (St. Lucia); Joseph Delves and Ian Hypolite (St. Vincent and the Grenadines); Richard Groden (Trinidad and Tobago) and Hillaren Frederick (U.S. Virgin Islands)