FIFA hands Bin Hammam life ban for bribery

ZURICH, (Reuters) – Asian soccer chief Mohamed Bin  Hammam was banned for life today after being found guilty  by world football’s ruling body of trying to buy votes ahead of  last month’s FIFA presidential election.
Bin Hammam, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president  since 2002, was found guilty by FIFA’s ethics committee of  bribery in a meeting with Caribbean officials in Port of Spain,  Trinidad in May, the committee’s deputy chairman Petrus Damaseb  told reporters.
The 62-year-old Qatari, who has also been on FIFA’s  executive committee since 1996, withdrew his presidential  candidacy on May 29 and Swiss Sepp Blatter was re-elected  unopposed for a fourth term three days later.
Former CONCACAF president Jack Warner, provisionally banned  with Bin Hammam for his involvement in the Port of Spain  meeting, resigned in June and a case against him was dropped.
Bin Hammam did not attend the two-day hearing at FIFA  headquarters but was represented by two lawyers.
Immediately after the hearing, his spokesman said the Qatari  rejected the committee’s findings.
“He maintains his innocence,” said the spokesman. “He will  continue to fight his case through the legal routes that are  open to him.”