Fifa has dismissed allegations made by a BBC television programme against three executive committee members, saying Swiss authorities had already investigated and the case had been closed.
The BBC's Panorama programme on Monday offered what it said was new evidence over Fifa's appointment of International Sports and Leisure (ISL) as its marketing arm. ISL went bankrupt in 2001.
The programme said the members Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil, hosts of the next World Cup in 2014, Issa Hayatou, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) chief, and South American (CONMEBOL) head Nicolas Leoz took bribes from ISL to win the lucrative contract.
"The matters concerning the case ... which are referred to date back many years ago and were investigated by the relevant authorities in Switzerland," said Fifa in a statement yesterday. It added that a criminal case in the Swiss canton of Zug had not resulted in convictions for any Fifa officials.
"In its verdict of 26 June 2008, the Criminal Court of Zug had not convicted any Fifa officials," said the statement. "It is therefore important to stress again the fact that no Fifa officials were accused of any criminal offence in these proceedings ... The investigation and the case are definitely closed."
Teixeira, Leoz and Hayatou are members of the Fifa executive committee which will decide tomorrow which countries host the World Cups of 2018 and 2022. All have denied any wrongdoing. The latest allegations are based on what the BBC said was a confidential ISL document which detailed 175 secret payments between 1989 and 1999.
Hayatou is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and that body said it would refer the matter to its Ethics Commission.
"The IOC will ask the programme makers to pass on any evidence they may have to the appropriate authorities," it said.
Hayatou, from Cameroon, yesterday said that it was not a bribe but a payment by CAF's former sponsors approved by the confederation's executive committee. "This money was not for me it was for the 40th anniversary of CAF," he said. Hayatou said he was now considering legal action against Panorama.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday Celta Vigo v Villarreal (midnight kick-off UAE)
Saturday Sevilla v Real Sociedad (4pm), Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao (7.15pm), Granada v Barcelona (9.30pm), Osasuna v Real Madrid (midnight)
Sunday Levante v Eibar (4pm), Cadiz v Alaves (7.15pm), Elche v Getafe (9.30pm), Real Valladolid v Valencia (midnight)
Monday Huesca v Real Betis (midnight)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
HOW TO WATCH
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The biog
Name: Salem Alkarbi
Age: 32
Favourite Al Wasl player: Alexandre Oliveira
First started supporting Al Wasl: 7
Biggest rival: Al Nasr
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
