French judges suspect that illegally obtained votes in favor of his country in the attribution of the World Cup
The former president of the Asian Football Confederation has not responded to the judge’s previous calls
French justice issued an international arrest warrant against the former president of the Asian Football Confederation Mohamed bin Hamman, considered the architect of the attribution of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, within the framework of the corruption investigation into that vote.
According to what the newspaper ‘L’Équipe’ published this Tuesday, the arrest warrant was issued on June 22 and is the third issued by Judge Serge Tournaire within the framework of this investigation. the first against a sports official from Qatar.
Previously, the magistrate had requested the arrest of the former president of the Confederation of Oceania Reynald Temarii and two other people, an advisor and a lawyer, both French.
Bin Hamman has not responded to the judge’s summons, which motivates the arrest warrant. This senior dignitary from Qatar presided over the Asian Confederation and was a candidate for the presidency of FIFA in 2010 against the Swiss Sepp Blatter.
French judges suspect that he maneuvered illegally to obtain votes in favor of his country in the allocation of the 2022 World Cup. Specifically, they suspect that he corrupted Temarii into not voting for Australia, as the Oceania Confederation that he presided preferred.
This football leader and former Polynesian player was threatened with suspension after the British ‘Sunday Times’ published recordings in which he sold his vote for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
But, French judges suspect, Bin Hamman paid for his defense so that he would remain in office and thus be able to vote for Qatar.
Bin Hamman has been disqualified by FIFA since 2011, when he was accused of having tried to buy votes in his race for the presidency of the organization and since then he has been away from the world of football, without the authorities knowing his whereabouts.