FIFA bails on new Bin Hammam bribery case

FIFA has dropped its latest bribery case against former president of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC), Mohamed Bin Hammam.

The footballing figure recently won his FIFA lifetime ban appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after being accused of bribing Caribbean officials during his presidential campaign to replace Sepp Blatter.

After no new evidence was unveiled by FIFA's chief ethics investigator Michael J Garcia, he has opted to close the case and not pursue the new charges.

"This investigation focused on events that took place at the CFU meeting in Trinidad and Tobago in May 2011," his confidential report to FIFA read. "With respect to the events at the CFU conference, the investigation uncovered no new material proof beyond the substantial evidence presented during the proceedings that culminated with the CAS decision vacating Mr Bin Hammam’s ban.

"Accordingly, the Investigatory Chamber has closed this matter consistent with the CAS Panel’s guidance regarding newly discovered evidence."

The 63-year-old Qatari is still provisionally suspended from footballing activities over financial mismanagement allegations while AFC president, but his legal team is reportedly planning to launch another appeal to CAS over the issue.