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Japan's soccer chief has demanded a detailed explanation from world governing body FIFA on its decision to ban Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed bin Hammam for corruption.
"There is a need for FIFA to give us the reason for the life ban," Japan Football Association president Junji Ogura said, according to Japanese newspapers on Wednesday.
Ogura was also quoted as saying: "For the sake of the AFC's sound progress, there is a need to hold a presidential election by holding an extraordinary general assembly because it was a life ban."
The AFC is due to hold an executive board meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
On Saturday, FIFA's ethics committee banned bin Hammam from all football related activity at national or international level after being found guilty of graft during the ruling body's presidential election in June.
The 62-year-old Qatari, who was instrumental in helping Qatar win the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, had been accused of trying to buy votes with $40,000 in cash gifts to Caribbean football officials.
Ogura told the newspapers that he had received a letter from bin Hammam which emphasized his innocence.
"I have not done anything wrong. I have no intention to resign as the AFC president and as a FIFA executive," Ogura quoted bin Hammam as as saying in the letter.
"I don't think the FIFA decision was right," the Qatari said. "I will ask the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to make a right decision."
The Lausanne-based CAS is the world's highest sporting judicial authority.
© 2011 Agence France-Presse
12 Comments
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smithinjapan
I believe FIFA already explained the ban.
sojherde
But it seems that this "explanation" was not very convincing.
smithinjapan
sojherde: Then I would say they need to CONVINCE them, not 'explain' the reason for the man's ban.
soldave
Japan spent good money on this man... they demand answers!
GW
I think Ogura shud learn to pick up some newspapers & read for a start, but hey!
Actually he is likley so used bribes & kick backs etc that he was reading & never saw anything wrong haha!
wanderlust
It means that they want to know what colour envelopes they should use for their own "consulting fees." Bin Hammam apparently used vulgar brown envelopes...
smithinjapan
GW: "I think Ogura shud learn to pick up some newspapers & read for a start, but hey!"
Exactly what I was saying, and I think soldave is right as well: they probably already bribed the guy a LOT of cash and now they feel they've been robbed with the ban.
GW
jt, the ole good/bad thing is fun but seems on a bunch of threads a couple people are just Bading everything so to speak, hey I dont mind getting my share but looks like a few yahoos are running around zapping everything that moves LOL.
freakashow
FIFA is a joke. Blatters problem is that he didn't address the fact that he knew long ago that Hammam was offering bribes for votes to the Carribean Football Union. Blatter should answer why he did nothing when he knew for months about it.
sojherde
It seems that Hamman is not the only problem that Blatter has. In Europe many people suspect the way in which Blatter is leading FIFA.
Fadamor
Hmmm... let's see what we can find...
Ah! There you go! Ask and ye shall receive!