FIFA's Fatma Samoura cleared over World Cup ethics breach claim - report
Fri Apr 27, 2018 02:30:pm Sports
6.1K By Obiaks Blog
FIFA's ethics committee has cleared secretary general Fatma Samoura of wrongdoing after an alleged conflict of interest in the 2026 World Cup race, the BBC has reported.
Samoura had been accused of breaking FIFA rules, with members of the World Cup bid evaluation taskforce saying she had an undeclared family link to ex-footballer and Senegalese compatriot El Hadji Diouf, a Morocco 2026 bid ambassador.
The BBC said the unspecified link had been discovered by the evaluation taskforce during its recent visit to Morocco and both 55-year-old Samoura and Diouf were subject to ethics complaints.
Morocco is competing with a joint bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico for the right to host the 2026 tournament, with a vote due to take place next month.
Samoura, who described the complaint as "ridiculous and baseless" has now been told that the matter is closed.
She said former Liverpool forward Diouf "is not a member of my family, and therefore everything is crystal clear," and has been backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Infantino said: "I can confirm my full confidence in Fatma Samoura to lead the FIFA administration.
Infantino appointed Samoura, who formerly worked for the United Nations, in 2016, shortly after being elected to succeed disgraced former president Sepp Blatter.
ESPN
Samoura had been accused of breaking FIFA rules, with members of the World Cup bid evaluation taskforce saying she had an undeclared family link to ex-footballer and Senegalese compatriot El Hadji Diouf, a Morocco 2026 bid ambassador.
The BBC said the unspecified link had been discovered by the evaluation taskforce during its recent visit to Morocco and both 55-year-old Samoura and Diouf were subject to ethics complaints.
Morocco is competing with a joint bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico for the right to host the 2026 tournament, with a vote due to take place next month.
Samoura, who described the complaint as "ridiculous and baseless" has now been told that the matter is closed.
She said former Liverpool forward Diouf "is not a member of my family, and therefore everything is crystal clear," and has been backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Infantino said: "I can confirm my full confidence in Fatma Samoura to lead the FIFA administration.
Infantino appointed Samoura, who formerly worked for the United Nations, in 2016, shortly after being elected to succeed disgraced former president Sepp Blatter.
ESPN
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