ACTUALITE |
24.11.2001
Fifa throws out bribery charge
A Fifa disciplinary committee has cleared Ghana and Nigeria of fixing a World Cup qualifying match in Port Harcourt on July 29.
The Super Eagles won the game 3-0 - a result which sent them to Japan and Korea.
Liberia, who missed out on qualification by a single point, said a post-match payment of $25,000 by a Nigerian official to the Ghanaian team was the fee for throwing the match.
Both Nigeria and Ghana angrily denied the allegations of wrong-doing, and a Fifa investigation has come out in their favour.
Its report says despite the fact that money did change hands, it could find no evidence of bribery.
The disciplinary panel said it had established that the $25,000 was a gift from the Governor of Rivers State, where the match was played.
It was given at the same post-match reception where the Nigerian team received $75,000.
Gift-giving criticised
A Fifa statement said, "The Disciplinary Committee took special note of the fact that it was not a member of the Nigeria Football Association, but a local governor, who offered the sum of $25,000 to the delegation of the Ghana Football Association".
It added that the money was not handed over secretly but was given in public.
The statement went on to say that gift-giving was a part of the local custom and tradition.
Fifa said there was no evidence of a connection between the $25,000 and the outcome of the match. and consequently, it would take no action.
"The Disciplinary Committee decided that the associations of Ghana and Nigeria did not violate Fifa Statutes and that therefore no sanctions were to be imposed".
But the world governing body did not say Ghana and Nigeria were blameless.
"There are considerable ethical problems and legal uncertainties related to such gifts and National Associations would do better not to accept them in future", the statement ended.
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Hits: 1 | Source:BBC | |
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