20101021
africanews

Two members of FIFA's Executive Committee, Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii from Tahiti were provisionally suspended from taking part in any football-related activity after FIFA Ethics Committee examined their cases in relation to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

It has been alleged that they offered to sell their votes when Sunday Times reporters approached them posing as lobbyists for an American consortium.

A FIFA statement said the decision to suspend the two, taken after a Wednesday meeting of the Ethics Committee, under the chairmanship of Claudio Sulser, was with immediate effect.

"After hearing Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, the Ethics Committee considered that a provisional suspension was required while the investigation continues, taking into account the gravity of the case and the likelihood that a breach of the FIFA Statutes, the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code has been committed," the FIFA statement said on its website.

FIFA had opened proceedings against the two Executive Committee members on 18 October 2010, requesting the Ethics Committee to conduct an independent, in-depth investigation into the matter.

Four others

FIFA officials also announced the provisional suspension of – Slim Aloulou (Tunisia), Amadou Diakite (Mali), Ahongalu Fusimalohi (Tonga) and Ismael Bhamjee (Botswana) from taking part in any football-related activity.

Their suspension came after the Ethics Committee of FIFA examined cases of ''an alleged breach of the FIFA Statutes, the FIFA Code of Ethics and the FIFA Disciplinary Code linked to the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.'

The Ethics Committee is to meet in mid-November 2010 to take a final decision on the matter after gathering more information and evidence on the six cases.