FIFA clears President Blatter ...

ZURICH (AP):

FIFA suspended senior executives Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner because of bribery allegations yesterday while exonerating President Sepp Blatter in the gravest corruption crisis facing soccer's governing body.

Blatter now is in line to be re-elected unopposed to a fourth term Wednesday. His only challenger, Bin Hammam, withdrew his candidacy hours before being excluded from all soccer activities by FIFA's ethics committee.

The panel said there was sufficient evidence to further investigate allegations that bin Hammam and Warner offered $40,000 bribes to delegates at a Caribbean soccer association meeting on May 10-11 in Trinidad.

alleged bribes

The payments were allegedly made to secure votes for bin Hammam, a Qatari who heads Asia's soccer confederation, in his campaign to unseat Blatter. The evidence was compiled by US executive committee member Chuck Blazer.

"I regret what has happened in the last few days and weeks," Blatter said in a statement. "FIFA's image has suffered a great deal as a result, much to the disappointment of FIFA itself and all football fans."

"We are satisfied that there is a case to be answered," Petrus Damaseb, deputy chairman of the ethics committee, said at a news conference at FIFA headquarters.

Bin Hammam had asked the panel to investigate Blatter on grounds that he knew of alleged bribe attempts and did nothing about it.

... Suspended 'Jack' Warner hits back

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Regional football supremo Jack Warner reacted bitterly to his temporary suspension from activity connected with the game, vowing to offer a vigorous defence of himself and Caribbean officials.

CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester were also suspended until a full investigation into bribery allegations against them was conducted.

"The decision to suspend me is an abuse of the process and achieves no real purpose as stated in the decision and again demonstrates the bias of this enquiry," said Warner in a statement issued after the decision was handed down by the FIFA ethics committee.

"I intend to say a lot more on this matter shortly. In the meantime, I will vigorously defend my reputation as well as the reputation of the rest of the Caribbean members."

Warner expressed disappointment with the way the inquiry was carried out.

He said he was given less than 24 hours to submit a statement for consideration by the five-member committee.

Additionally, he said, a member from Uruguay did not have the value of a translated version of his or Bin Hammam's submission.

Warner has continued to maintain his innocence in the face of the committee ruling that there is a case to be answered.

He alleged, in his statement, that the complaints made against him were politically motivated and "designed, among other things, to cause serious prejudice and damage to both Mr Bin Hammam and myself at one of the most critical times for the FIFA".