FIFA says Adamu is under investigation

FIFA have confirmed former executive committee member Amos Adamu is subject to investigations by the organisation’s ethics committee.

Adamu received a three-year ban and 10,000 Swiss Franc (£6,341) fine from FIFA’s ethics committee after being found guilty of breaching bribery rules on November 18, 2010.

The ban followed a Sunday Times expose which alleged the Nigerian had asked for cash in return for 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes.

However, the committee had announced they “did not find sufficient grounds to reach a conclusion that there was any collusion”.

But now the investigatory chamber of the independent ethics committee have confirmed that proceedings are ongoing against Adamu.

“Formal investigation proceedings relating to the suspicion of infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics are amongst others ongoing against Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolás Leoz,” a statement in FIFA website read.

“Proceedings relating to the two officials Ángel María Villar Llona and Franz Beckenbauer have already been passed on to the adjudicatory chamber. For procedural reasons, no further names of other parties affected by the proceedings are currently being disclosed.

“Under the FIFA Code of Ethics, pursuant to the presumption of innocence, the investigatory chamber shall examine all circumstances of the cases equally. In this sense, all parties are presumed innocent until a decision has been passed by the adjudicatory chamber.

“The chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Dr Cornel Borbély, welcomes the approval by FIFA’s Executive Committee of the new wording of article 36 of the FIFA Code of Ethics. In future, it will be possible for the Ethics Committee to confirm on request the opening of proceedings against representatives of world football.

“The investigatory chamber will always weigh the interests of transparency against the need to conduct proper adjudicatory proceedings, the personality rights of the parties involved and the presumption of innocence. For procedural reasons, the investigatory chamber can therefore only comment on ongoing formal proceedings regarding members of the Executive Committee, the Secretary General, the candidates for the FIFA Presidency and confederation representatives in leading positions.

“If the investigatory chamber has information about a possible violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics, it will first analyse the relevant facts in a confidential preliminary investigation phase. In no circumstance will these preliminary inquiries be made public, due to procedural reasons. The chamber is currently carrying out a moderate number of preliminary investigations against a number of football officials. If one of these preliminary investigations gives rise to a concrete suspicion of wrongdoing, the chamber will open formal proceedings against the accused. Only then will the investigatory chamber consider whether to publicly confirm the relevant investigation.”

When he was suspended five years ago, Adamu said he was “disappointed” with the decision to ban him.

“I am profoundly disappointed with the ethics committee’s findings and had honestly believed I would be exonerated of any charges by now,” he said.

“I completely refute the decision they have made. I will be lodging a full appeal against it with immediate effect.”

He could not be reached to comment on the latest development.