Wednesday February 9, 2011

CLARIFICATION OF QATAR WORLD CUP

Following some media reports Feb 7, FIFA and its President would like to clarify the following about the 2022 FIFA World Cup dates:

- The 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups are based on FIFA’s international match calendar and this applies also to Qatar. This is what is written in the relevant documents signed by Qatar as hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

- As such, as it stands today, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is planned to be staged in Qatar, in summer - Any potential change to the above should first be requested by the competition organizers, ie Qatar, and presented to the FIFA Executive Committee for analysis

- The FIFA President has not said whether or not the 2022 FIFA World Cup will take place in winter or in summer, but has simply explained what would be the process for any potential changes to the current status

Appeal Committee confirms Ethics Committee decisions on Temarii and Adamu

The FIFA Appeal Committee, under the chairmanship of judge Larry Mussenden (Bermuda), has confirmed the decisions taken by the Ethics Committee on 17 November 2010 regarding the bans on Reynald Temarii and Amos Adamu – who were at the time FIFA Vice-President and FIFA Executive Committee member – for a breach of the FIFA Code of Ethics. In addition, the Appeal Committee has partially upheld the appeals of Slim Aloulou, Amadou Diakité and Ahongalu Fusimalohi, whose sanctions have been reduced.

The decisions, which were taken during a two-day meeting of the Appeal Committee held in Zurich on 2 and 3 February 2011, are as follows:

Reynald Temarii: the appeal has been rejected and the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee confirmed. The sanction of a one-year ban from taking part in any football-related activity and a fine of CHF 5,000 has been maintained.

Amos Adamu: the appeal has been rejected and the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee confirmed. The sanction of a three-year ban from taking part in any football-related activity and a fine of CHF 10,000 has been maintained.

Slim Aloulou: the appeal has been partially upheld. The infringements as stipulated in the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee have been confirmed. The sanctions have been reduced to a one-year ban from taking part in any football-related activity (instead of a two-year ban) and a fine of CHF 5,000 (instead of CHF 10,000).

Amadou Diakité: the appeal has been partially upheld. The infringements as stipulated in the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee have been confirmed. The sanctions have been reduced to a two-year ban from taking part in any football-related activity (instead of a three-year ban) and a fine of CHF 7,500 (instead of CHF 10,000).

Ahongalu Fusimalohi: the appeal has been partially upheld. The infringements as stipulated in the decision of the FIFA Ethics Committee have been confirmed. The sanctions have been reduced to a two-year ban from taking part in any football-related activity (instead of a three-year ban) and a fine of CHF 7,500 (instead of CHF 10,000).

Ismael Bhamjee did not appeal the decision taken by the Ethics Committee in November 2010.