Adamu faces fresh FIFA probe

Forgotten former National Sports Commission Director-General Amos Adamu was thrown into the spotlight on Wednesday after FIFA named him as one of the football officials it is investigating for “proceedings relating to the suspicion of infringements”.

The former FIFA executive committee member was in 2010 banned from football for three years after he was implicated in corruption allegations over the selection of Russia and Qatar as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. His suspension expired in October 2013.

Adamu was filmed asking undercover reporters posing as bidders for $800,000 to influence his World Cup hosting vote, saying he wanted the money paid to him personally so he could finance football fields in Nigeria.

The former Nigeria Football Federation Sole Administrator, who was alleged to have breached FIFA’s code of ethics, faces fresh sanctions if found guilty.

“Formal investigation proceedings relating to the suspicion of infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics are among others ongoing against Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz,” FIFA said in a statement.

Former FIFA executive committee members Makundi, Webb, Figueredo and Leoz were arrested on corruption allegations in June this year.

According to Skysports, FIFA also confirmed it is investigating Sepp Blatter, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer and the head of the Spanish FA, Angel Maria Villar Llona.

Blatter and Platini are currently suspended for 90 days over a deferred payment made between them, a judgement they are appealing – while Secretary-General Jerome Valcke has also been banned on suspicion of misuse of expenses.

Beckenbauer, 68, was on the executive committee which awarded the 2022 finals to Qatar but claimed last year that FIFA’s chief investigator Michael J Garcia had “no power whatsoever” to make him comply to his probe into the controversial 2010 decision.

Beckenbauer also headed the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup in Germany and was forced to reject allegations in his home country on Sunday that a slush fund was set up to buy the votes to host the tournament.