Six more Caribbean Football Union officials get FIFA bans

Six more Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials have been slapped with bans from Football world’s governing body, FIFA.{{more}}

Among them is former Dominican Prime Minister Patrick John, who was banned for two years and fined 3,000 Swiss francs.

The latest set of penalties handed down to regional officials was made public last Friday.

Their suspensions and fines stem from a special CFU meeting held at the Hyatt Hotel in Trinidad and Tobago on May 10 and 11, when then FIFA presidential candidate, Qatari Mohammed bin Hammam was alleged to have offered delegates US$40,000, in what was deemed a cash for vote move.

Apart from John, Vincent Cassell of Montserrat was banned for 60 days and fined 300 Swiss francs, while Raymond Guishard of Anguilla was banned for 45 days and fined 300 Swiss francs.

Noel Adonis of Guyana received a 30-day suspension and was fined 300 Swiss francs.

Tandica Hughes of Montserrat was banned for 15 days, while Everton Gonsalves of Antigua and Barbuda was banned for seven days and fined 300 Swiss francs.

Derrick Gordon, also of Antigua and Barbuda, received a reprimand, and was ordered to pay a fine of 300 Swiss francs.

While dishing out the penalties, FIFA indicated that the cases of Oliver Camps of Trinidad and Tobago, Lionel Haven of the Bahamas and Patrick Mathurin of St Lucia were closed, since they are no longer football officials.

However, should they return to football official positions, their cases would be examined again by the Ethics Committee.

But Philippe White of Dominica and Damien Hughes of Anguilla were considered not to have committed any violation.

The cases of these ten officials were part of the continued probe of the Ethics Committee’s investigations.

In October, four CFU officials, including former General Secretary of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation, Ian Hypolite, received suspensions which varied from 15 days to 18 months.

Others were reprimanded and fined; some were reprimanded only, while others had their cases dropped.

Before them, President of the Guyana Football Association Colin Klass was suspended from all Football activities for two years and two months for his part in the meeting and was fined 5,000 Swiss francs.

Two CFU employees, Trinidadians Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, in July received one-year bans from FIFA for their role in the meeting,

Bin Hammam was the first to feel the axe of the Ethics Committee, as he was placed on a life ban.

Former CFU and CONCACAF boss and FIFA Vice President Austin “Jack” Warner, who facilitated the meeting, was required to face the Ethics Committee, but resigned in June, and had all possible charges against him dropped. (RT)