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FIFA suspends Manilal Fernando in ethics investigation
Mar 11, 201309:00 PM
FIFA has suspended executive committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando as part of an ethics investigation.
The suspension of the Sri Lankan relates to an investigation into the alleged misuse of Asian Football Confederation accounts by American lawyer Michael J. Garcia.
FIFA has not commented if there are any specific allegations levelled against Fernando — a member of FIFA’s ruling executive since January 2011 — who was a close ally of bin Hammam, the former AFC head and disgraced FIFA presidential candidate.
The suspension will last for up to 90 days while FIFA completes its investigation.
“At the request of Michael J. Garcia (chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee), Hans-Joachim Eckert (chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee) today provisionally banned FIFA Executive Committee member Vernon Manilal Fernando from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for a period of a maximum of 90 days,” read a statement on FIFA’s official website.
“The decision was taken based on article 83 paragraph 1 in fine of the FIFA Code of Ethics, in order to prevent interference with the establishment of the truth with respect to proceedings now in the adjudicatory chamber.
“The proceedings relate to formal ethics charges brought in a final report filed by the chairman of the investigatory chamber with the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber. This report is the result of investigatory proceedings opened in October 2012.
“The case is now with the jurisdiction of the adjudicatory chamber for any further procedural steps that chamber deems appropriate.”
Bin Hammam resigned from all football-related positions in December after being found guilty of repeated ethics violations while AFC president.
Fernando, who is an attorney, accompanied bin Hammam on a trip to woo Caribbean voters ahead of the 2011 FIFA presidential poll in the most far-reaching scandal to hit world football’s governing body.
FIFA has said evidence from whistleblowers pointed to bin Hammam handing out $40,000 bribes in cash to Caribbean officials during his campaign visit to Trinidad.
A yearlong audit by the Malaysia-based AFC also revealed “infringements” regarding the “execution of certain contracts” and tampering with the organization’s bank accounts by bin Hammam while he was president.
Fernando is now barred from involvement in the March 20-21 FIFA executive committee meeting in Zurich, which will recommend the next series of anti-corruption reforms sparked by the bin Hammam scandal and bribery allegations surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding contest.
- Agencies
