FIFA reputation 'damaged' by corruption claims
An executive committee member of FIFA has claimed that the corruption charges levied at two of his colleagues has damaged the reputation of the organization.
Football’s governing body will decide next week whether to punish two of its executive committee members — Amos Adamu of Nigeria and Reynald Temarii of Tahiti — who both face charges of corruption following
an investigation carried out by the English-based Sunday Times newspaper.
Reporters from the publication posed as representatives for a group of private American firms who wanted to take the 2018 FIFA World Cup to the country.
Adamu is alleged to have asked for £500,000 in return for his vote in order to build four artificial football pitches in his homeland.
Temarii, meanwhile, was said to have requested triple that amount to build a sports academy in the Oceania region. The official is a FIFA vice-president who represents the region.
Both men refute the claims made against them and will plead their cases against the charges when they are called before the ethics committee. Their three-day hearing begins on Monday, 15 November.
However, whether they are found guilty or are cleared of the charges, FIFA executive member Junji Ogura said that the organisation’s reputation — as well as that of the World Cup — has been affected negatively
by the newspaper reports.
He told the BBC that: "I'm sure there's damage for Fifa and for the World Cup. We were very surprised and disappointed when the executive committee announced two members had been provisionally suspended.
We are waiting for the outcome of the FIFA ethics committee later this month and we don't know if they are innocent."
Meanwhile, Ogura claimed that the reports would not affect his decision to vote for England. Several sources within FIFA have claimed that the incident has soured many of the executive committee’s members
on voting for England to host the 2018 World Cup.
However, Ogura has revealed that his decision will not be influenced by media reports. He said that: "(England's) chances are very big. The contents of the English bid everyone appreciates very much."
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