Patrick John to appeal FIFA ban

Former Dominica Prime Minister Patrick John is to appeal the decision by FIFA ethics committee to ban him from all football activity for two years and a fine of US$3,000 for his alleged role in the bribery plot involving former presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.

John was among six more Caribbean officials who were banned for their part in the alleged bribery plot.

Montserrat Football Association president Vincent Cassell was suspended for 60 days by the ethics committee. Four other officials received bans of seven to 45 days.

Gordon Derrick of Antigua and Barbuda was reprimanded, clearing him to be a candidate in the upcoming Caribbean Football Union presidential election.

FIFA said it dropped charges against three more officials who resigned from football. Cases against two others were closed.

The officials were allegedly offered or received US$40,000 cash payments during Bin Hammam’s campaign visit to Trinidad in May to support the Qatari candidate against FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

Bin Hammam withdrew his election bid after the scandal broke and was later banded for life by FIFA’s ethics panel.FIFA has banned a total of 11 Caribbean football leaders and two CFU staffers in the corruption scandal.

Four more officials have been reprimanded and five received warnings.

Six officials including Trinidad and Tobago Works Minister Jack Warner, the former FIFA vice-president and CFU leader, evaded football’s justice by resigning all their positions in the sport.