Kuala Lumpur – Malaysia: Suspends, On 15 July, 2012, AFC Executive Committee member and Japan Football Association Vice-President Kohzo Tashima reported, in accordance with Article 14.1 of the AFC Ethics Code, about possible violations of the AFC Statutes, AFC Disciplinary Code and AFC Code of Ethics allegedly committed by Mohamed Bin Hammam to the AFC General Secretary, who reported it to the AFC Disciplinary Committee.
Tashima’s report followed the completion of a certified forensic audit of the AFC’s financial accounts by the independent international audit firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) carried out over the past year and the delivery of the audit findings to Tashima in his capacity as the Chairman of the AFC Ad-hoc Evaluation Committee.
The Ad-hoc Evaluation Committee’s terms of reference are to: 1) fight corruption; 2) improve AFC administration; and 3) promote financial transparency.
The PwC report deals with inter alia events surrounding the negotiation and execution of certain contracts and with the financial transactions made in and out of AFC bank accounts and his personal account during the tenure of Mr. Bin Hammam’s presidency.
Upon receipt of the report, the Chairman of the AFC Disciplinary Committee, Lim Kia Tong, LLB (Hons.), provisionally banned Mr. Bin Hammam pursuant to Articles 129 and 22 of the Disciplinary Code from taking part in any kind of football activity (administrative, sports or any other) in the area of jurisdiction of the AFC until the AFC Disciplinary Committee reaches a decision on the merits in the present matter.
The alleged infringements include Article 6 of the AFC Statutes (Conduct of Bodies and Officials), Article 62 of the AFC Disciplinary Code (Corruption) and Articles 3 (General Rules), 5 (Conflict of Interest), 9 (Fiduciary Duty and Confidentiality), 10 (Accepting Gifts and Benefits), 11 (Bribery) and 12 (Commission) of the AFC Code of Ethics.
The provisional measure may not be valid for longer than 30 days (art. 132 par. 1 of the AFC Disciplinary Code). This period may be extended only once by 20 days (art. 132 par. 2 of the AFC Disciplinary Code).
No additional comments will be made by AFC until further notice. —– AFC
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