FIFA presidential candidate Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa "has been accused of using football development money to fund an earlier election campaign" amid calls in parliament for an urgent investigation into a new alleged "cash for votes" scandal, according to Owen Gibson of the London GUARDIAN. The Asian Football Confederation president faces fresh claims that in '09 he used FIFA-financed sports development budgets to "fund his unsuccessful campaign for a seat" on the FIFA exec committee. According to a statement made on Tuesday in the House of Commons by Tory MP and FIFA reform campaigner Damian Collins, "a leaked letter received by Bahrain’s Al Bilad newspaper" claimed Sheikh Salman had "spent upwards of" £1.6M ($2.2M) on a "bitterly contested campaign he lost by two votes" to the "later disgraced" Qatari Mohamed bin Hammam. The MP called on the government to oppose any bids by the FA for FIFA tournaments if Salman "becomes its president on Friday." Collins further claimed the letter said some of the money had come from FIFA-financed football development projects, "in particular Goal 1," which was intended to help fund a new Bahrain FA HQ, and Goal 3, aimed at "providing facilities for developing youth and women’s football." He also alleged that "after FIFA requested urgent information from the Bahrain FA regarding the misappropriation of funds Salman did not comment until early September 2009, at which point he denied those claims, however the Bahrain FA did not dispute the contents of the leaked documents" (GUARDIAN, 2/23). REUTERS' Simon Evans reported the Bahrain FA "did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment." The statement from Sheikh Salman's team "flatly denied that any GOAL money had been spent on his campaign." The Sheikh Salman camp said that FIFA's GOAL project money for Bahrain "had been spent on projects agreed with the Zurich-based governing body" and that "funding was paid to the third party contractors who carried out the projects" and was documented with FIFA. The statement said that some of the GOAL projects that were alleged to have been redirected to Salman's campaign "had already been completed" before the '09 election campaign, citing one for the BFA's HQ that had been "completed and inaugurated" in '03. The statement said, "For the avoidance of doubt, Shaikh Salman’s 2009 election campaign was funded entirely from his own pocket." The Sheikh Salman campaign also rejected Collins' claim that the Olympic Council of Asia "may have offered inducements to vote for Salman" in the '13 AFC election. The statement added, "Sheikh Salman has and had no knowledge whatsoever of any inducements offered, or of any payments made by the OCA to any football associations and absolutely no evidence has been forthcoming to show this to have been the case." The OCA said in an e-mailed statement, "The OCA strongly denies these accusations which are entirely without foundation" (REUTERS, 2/24).
INFANTINO PRESENTS PLAN: The AP's Rob Harris reported insisting his $1B financial pledges "are affordable," FIFA presidential candidate Gianni Infantino on Wednesday "countered rival Sheikh Salman's claim" that he would bankrupt FIFA. Infantino said that by "repairing FIFA's scandal-battered image he will attract new sponsors to fund a proposal to hike cash handouts" to the 209 member federations. Infantino: "To all 209 associations, be sure that what is promised there is not only feasible but is easy to deliver and FIFA will be as financially stable as never before." As UEFA's top administrator, Infantino ensured the organization "not only weathered the worst of the post-2008 global financial crisis but almost tripled revenue." He said, "If there is one thing I know about it is figures. ... When I propose these things and when I propose these development funds and grants, not only am I sure and confident it can be delivered but this will be easy to deliver" (AP, 2/24).
SFA BACKS INFANTINO: The PA reported the Scottish FA announced its backing for Infantino. The Scottish governing body "revealed its board had pledged its support for Infantino after reviewing the manifestos of all candidates." SFA CEO Stewart Regan said, "He has been a highly respected general secretary of UEFA for many years and has performed that role with skill, diplomacy and professional integrity" (PA, 2/24).
FIFA WANTS DETAILS: The AP reported FIFA asked its presidential candidates to "provide details of their intended victory speeches before Friday’s election" in a bid to keep them "on message" while the governing body tries to "repair its scandal-tarnished image." The five contenders, who met at a FIFA gathering on Wednesday, have "also been provided with suggested answers to use in the post-vote news conference." Infantino said that he will "resist any attempts" by FIFA to control what he says if victorious on Friday. He said, "Everyone can propose whatever they want, I will say whatever I want. I am my own man" (AP, 2/24).
BLATTER OFFERS THEORY: ESPN's Mark Rodden reported suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter "has said American law enforcement agencies only targeted FIFA" because the U.S. "missed out on hosting the 2022 World Cup." He said that "no votes were bought but argued that then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy had put pressure" on UEFA President Michel Platini to back Qatar ahead of the U.S. Blatter: "If we voted as planned for the United States, the Americans would have had no reason to attack FIFA because they would have had their World Cup. And I would have finished the last four years of my mandate peacefully" (ESPN, 2/24).
GUATEMALA UNDER MICROSCOPE: REUTERS' Sofia Menchu reported "an audit by a committee appointed by FIFA" has concluded that broadcasting contracts between Guatemala's football federation and Mexican media magnate Angel Gonzalez "were awarded below market value." The committee is running the Guatemalan Football Federation (FEDEFUT) after its president and another of its top officials "were arrested on bribery-related charges." A source on the committee said that the contracts appeared to be "excessively unfavorable" to FEDEFUT, and "fell short of international standards because the price was so low and given the deals were reached after exclusive negotiations with Gonzalez" (REUTERS, 2/23). REUTERS' Silke Koltrowitz reported FIFA said that its ethics committee on Wednesday "opened formal adjudicatory proceedings" against former football execs Luis Bedoya and Sergio Jadue. Bedoya is a former member of the FIFA Exec Committee and former president of the Colombian Football Federation, while Jadue is a former president of the Chilean Football Federation. Both are also former VPs of CONMEBOL (REUTERS, 2/24).
