Shamed official Bhamjee faces explusion from FIFA (Reuters) Updated: 2006-06-19 10:36
The ex-president of the Botswana Football Association who admitted selling
World Cup tickets on the black market is likely to become the first man forced
to resign from FIFA's Executive Committee in its 102-year history.
Ismail Bhamjee, 62, who admitted selling 12 tickets at three times their face
value for last week's match between England and Trinidad & Tobago in
Nuremberg, has been ordered to leave Germany as soon as possible by FIFA
president Sepp Blatter.
According to FIFA sources, Blatter is so furious with the harm Bhamjee has
done to the image of world soccer's governing body that he will force him to
resign from the executive committee before his term of office expires in
January.
Bhamjee is facing formal investigations by FIFA's Ethics Committee,
Disciplinary Committee and Executive Committee.
He was suspended from all his World Cup duties on Saturday when Blatter told
him to leave Germany.
FORMAL PROCEEDINGS
Markus Siegler, FIFA's Director of Communications said at Sunday's daily
media briefing: "I do not know whether or not he is still in the country, but I
imagine he will leave today or tomorrow. Formal proceedings will get going as
soon as possible.
"It is deeply embarrassing when a high ranking official is involved in
something like this. It puts FIFA in a very bad light. On the other hand, FIFA
proved that we take these things very seriously and acted very quickly.
"I do not believe this incident will overshadow the great success of this
World Cup, but it was not a nice day yesterday and it was a very big
disappointment."
Bhamjee has signed a statement admitting selling 12 tickets for last
Thursday's England match for 300 euros ($379.90) each, three times the face
value, FIFA said in a statement.
Executive committee members are paid $500 a day expenses while on official
FIFA duty. In addition they are paid $100,000 a year while members of the board.
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