In an attempt to clean FIFA’s executive committee, President Sepp Blatter banned another member Vernon Manilal Fernando of Sri Lanka for participating in any football activity for ninety days on the recommendations of Michael Garcia, the chairman of the investigatory chamber of the ethics committee, who found Vernon indulged in misuse of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) funds. Another executive member who was banned recently was AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam, who also stood against Blatter for president for FIFA post, for his involvement in 2011 bribery scandal. Actually, he could not stand against Blatter coz bribery allegations have been leveled upon him by then. Apart from his ban, which was later nulled by Court of Arbitration for Sport, AFC president also continued misuse of his post at AFC; hence he had to resign from international duties for life.
Vernon Manilal Fernando, who was the member of FIFA’s executive committee since 2011, is asked to leave by FIFA “in order to prevent interference with the establishment of the truth with respect to proceedings now in the adjudicatory chamber.” Initially, he joined the executive committee to work for the betterment of Asian football Back in January 2011; perhaps he was the first Sri Lankan to reach inside of world’s supreme soccer governing body’s executive panel, and he is also the first Sri Lankan to be barred in such a way. Post ban, two posts in FIFA executive committee and one post of AFC president are lying vacant. Moreover, there are four contenders as of now for AFC presidential post and two for bin Hammam’s FIFA executive committee post. The fresh ban also vacates another post while earlier vacated seats are still unfilled.
Under current scenario, it is very doubtful to conduct a fair and clean election process for all the vacated posts; hence it would be interesting to see how Blatter manages this difficult task. Right now, Thailand’s Worawi Makudi, is the only representative from South Asia who is running for president post. He had earlier been counting on Fernando vote and after his ban; his selection is also under suspense. According to FIFA investigators, Fernando was among the senior officials who visited Trinidad three weeks ahead of FIFA election and accompanied by bin Hammam. This is the same trip where Hammam tried to bribe some $40000 to Caribbean officials. As the investigation proceeds, many more group members are likely to come under scanner, let’s wait and watch!