Will the SVGFF be under FIFA scrutiny?

Will the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation (SVGFF) be among the Caribbean Football associations, which could find themselves under FIFA’s scrutiny?{{more}}

The world governing body last Saturday said it will continue to probe the meeting in Trinidad and Tobago that triggered the cash-for-vote scandal.

All costs of the meeting, including accommodation, were sponsored by Hamman.

Last Friday, former FIFA presidential candidate and Asian Football Confederation President Mohamed Bin Hammam, was slapped with a life ban by FIFA’s Ethics Committee, headed by Petrus Damaseb of Namibia.

FIFA also revealed that it had asked General Secretary Jerome Valcke to initiate a further investigation into the controversial meeting.

The 62-year-old Bin Hammam was being investigated for offering US$40,000, to several Caribbean Football Union members in Trinidad and Tobago, on May 10 and 11.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was represented at that Extraordinary Meeting by President of the SVGFF Joseph Delves and General Secretary Ian Hypolite.

The SVGFF, through Hypolite, on June 6, made the following statement: “As is well known, FIFA has provisionally suspended CONCACAF and CFU President Austin ‘Jack’ Warner and FIFA Vice President Mohamed Bin Hammam following allegations and counter-allegations around a CFU meeting in Trinidad on May 10th- 11th, 2011”.

“Mr. Warner and Mr. Bin Hammam have appealed their suspension. The SVGFF recognizes the need for the public to be informed; but except that the SVGFF is cooperating with the investigation, it cannot discuss the matter in any detail while it is before the Judicial Bodies of FIFA and still under investigation”, the release ended.

The May 10 and 11, Trinidad and Tobago meeting was facilitated by then CONCACAF and CFU boss Austin “ Jack” Warner, to allow Bin Hammam an opportunity to meet with the CFU delegates, since he was unable to do so the previous week, when CONCACAF held its Congress in Miami, with FIFA President Joseph “ Sepp” Blatter in attendance.

Hammam and Blatter were vying for the FIFA presidency on June 1; however, Hammam withdrew from the race.

Warner, a FIFA Vice -President, also resigned his post, after he too was to appear in front of the FIFA Ethics Committee.

FIFA had appointed a company owned by ex-FBI director Louis Freeh to investigate the bribery claims, but most of the associations had refused FIFA’s call to go to Miami to provide evidence.

One of the whistle blowers on the matter, Louis Giskus, President of the Surinam FA, confirmed to that he was handed US $40,000, all in 100 dollar bills, at the special meeting of the CFU on May 10.

He said he was told it was a gift from the CFU to spend on development projects.

FIFA Ethics Committee also, last Friday, banned Trinidadians Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, both employees of the CFU, from taking part in any football-related activity, administrative, sports or any other, for a one-year period, after they were found to have breached various articles of the FIFA Code of Ethics. (RT)