Former FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam said Monday he will appeal his suspension by football’s governing body over corruption allegations.
A statement issued by bin Hammam’s office said the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confederation was seeking to have his suspension from FIFA’s ethics committee lifted ahead of the FIFA congress.
Bin Hammam abandoned his bid to run against FIFA president Sepp Blatter early Sunday, just hours before he was suspended by the ethics committee pending the outcome of a corruption investigation.
“The way these proceedings have been conducted is absolutely not compliant with any principles of justice,” bin Hammam said. “I am punished before I am found guilty.” Bin Hammam also accused FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke of political bias in his battle with Blatter, and questioned whether the impartiality of the corruption investigation launched against him.