(ATR) FIFA president Sepp Blatter will stand unopposed for reelection Wednesday after the withdrawal of former challenger Mohammed Bin Hammam.
The 62-year-old Qatari announced late Saturday on his personal website that he leaves the increasingly messy race "hurt and disappointed" but with FIFA’s best interests at heart.
"I cannot allow the name that I loved to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals," he wrote in a roughly 400-word blog post.
"The game itself and the people who love it around the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election."
Bin Hammam’s about-face comes just one day after he submitted written testimony to FIFA in answer to bribery allegations brought against him last week - and one day before he is set to appear at an ethics committee hearing in Zurich.
The last-minute scandal was sparked when CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer reported "possible violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics" to FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke on Wednesday.
At a meeting with CFU members in Trinidad on May 10 and 11, Warner and Bin Hammam are accused of offering CFU members $40,000 in cash for "development projects" in exchange for their votes for him in Wednesday’s election.
Thanks to Bin Hammam, Sunday’s hearing now involves Blatter as well. The Asian football boss requested Thursday the Swiss incumbent be included in the investigation on the basis he would have received advance knowledge of the payments from Warner, a request granted Friday by FIFA.
Both candidates then skipped Saturday’s star-studded Champions League final - in any other environment a prime opportunity to shore up last-minute support among the 53 UEFA member federations presumably in attendance - to instead prepare their legal defenses ahead of Sunday’s probe.
Despite relinquishing his run for president with Saturday’s statement of resignation, Bin Hammam made clear he has no plans to admit to the corruption charges still ahead.
"I pray that my withdrawal will not be tied to the investigation held by the FIFA Ethics Committee as I will appear before the Ethics Committee to clear my name from the baseless allegations that have been made against me," he wrote.
"I promise those who stood by me that I will walk with my head held high and will continue to fight for the good of the game."
With just a single candidate left in the running, the only question remaining is whether Blatter will escape from Sunday’s ethics committee hearing with his own good name in tact.
If so, he’ll have another four years waiting for him atop world football’s governing body.
Stay tuned to World Football Insider for complete coverage of Sunday’s ethics hearing as well as the coming congress in Zurich.
Written by Matthew Grayson.
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