KUALA LUMPUR :
Ousted Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam said Thursday he had
appealed against his lifetime ban over accusations he sought to buy
votes in this year's FIFA presidential election.
"I will continue my battle until I prove my innocence and that my suspension was a political decision and an absolute abuse of power to deprive me of my right to contest for FIFA presidency," Hammam wrote on his personal blog.
The former head of the Asian Football Confederation was banned from football for life in July after he was found guilty of trying to buy votes in the FIFA leadership contest by offering Caribbean football officials US$40,000 each.
The Qatari's suspension by FIFA on May 29 over the accusations led to his withdrawal from the world football body's election, handing FIFA President Sepp Blatter a fourth consecutive term in office.
Hammam, who has previously railed at Blatter and FIFA and called his ban "politically motivated" and "biased", said Thursday FIFA's actions in the matter were "deeply flawed" and he had little hope of a successful appeal.
He has said previously that if an appeal within FIFA fails, he will take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) -- the highest sporting judicial authority in the world -- in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"I have submitted my case to the FIFA Appeals Committee, not hoping for justice to prevail but as a protocol to enable me to obtain access to the Court of Arbitration of Sport," he said.
"After all, the panel from the appeals committee is decided by my opponent and in this case, as previously, the judge is the rival," he added, in an apparent reference to Blatter.
"Therefore, I should not exaggerate my hope for a fair decision."
AFP was not immediately able to reach Hammam or the Kuala Lumpur-based AFC for comment.
Hammam has denied trying to influence the presidential vote, saying gift-giving was a routine practice in FIFA and that exchanging presents with other members of the organisation should not be regarded as attempted bribery.
However, he has said he had nothing to do with offering cash-filled envelopes to officials of the Caribbean Football Union.
"I will continue my battle until I prove my innocence and that my suspension was a political decision and an absolute abuse of power to deprive me of my right to contest for FIFA presidency," Hammam wrote on his personal blog.
The former head of the Asian Football Confederation was banned from football for life in July after he was found guilty of trying to buy votes in the FIFA leadership contest by offering Caribbean football officials US$40,000 each.
The Qatari's suspension by FIFA on May 29 over the accusations led to his withdrawal from the world football body's election, handing FIFA President Sepp Blatter a fourth consecutive term in office.
Hammam, who has previously railed at Blatter and FIFA and called his ban "politically motivated" and "biased", said Thursday FIFA's actions in the matter were "deeply flawed" and he had little hope of a successful appeal.
He has said previously that if an appeal within FIFA fails, he will take his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) -- the highest sporting judicial authority in the world -- in Lausanne, Switzerland.
"I have submitted my case to the FIFA Appeals Committee, not hoping for justice to prevail but as a protocol to enable me to obtain access to the Court of Arbitration of Sport," he said.
"After all, the panel from the appeals committee is decided by my opponent and in this case, as previously, the judge is the rival," he added, in an apparent reference to Blatter.
"Therefore, I should not exaggerate my hope for a fair decision."
AFP was not immediately able to reach Hammam or the Kuala Lumpur-based AFC for comment.
Hammam has denied trying to influence the presidential vote, saying gift-giving was a routine practice in FIFA and that exchanging presents with other members of the organisation should not be regarded as attempted bribery.
However, he has said he had nothing to do with offering cash-filled envelopes to officials of the Caribbean Football Union.
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