Bin Hammam Hopes to Build Bridges with FA in Meeting Today

Mohamed Bin Hammam is meeting with English FA chairman David Bernstein today, April 28, and has claimed that the British media has a responsibility to support efforts to build bridges between FIFA and British member associations.

Sepp Blatter’s FIFA Presidential Candidacy opponent said that while it was the body’s responsibility to take “the initial step to clear the air between itself and the British people” the move needed to be reciprocated not only by the four home nations “but also by the clubs, league, fans and media in Britain”.

With England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup falling at the first hurdle, relations between the FA and FIFA are at an all-time low and Bin Hammam added: “Building the bridges between Britain and FIFA is not only the task of FIFA or the British associations.

“A gesture of goodwill between Britain and FIFA must be supported and embraced by all those who have issues and differences in opinions with the others.”

The FA are thought to be seriously considering backing the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president’s candidacy after England’s bid leaders and British media criticised FIFA and the 2018 bidding process following the country’s shock first-round elimination in the December 2 vote. 

FIFA were severely antagonised by the British media in the build-up to the vote when a Sunday Times investigation in October led to the banning of two FIFA Ex-Co members, one of whom was caught on film requesting bribes. 

This was followed shortly after by a BBC Panorama investigation, broadcast days before the vote, which named another three Ex-Co members as taking bribes from the collapsed sports marketing company, ISL. 

Bin Hammam was among those critical of the methods used by the Sunday Times reporters in the run-up to the vote and said that now the British media are among those who have a responsibility to get the FA’s relations with FIFA back on track.

The Qatari national added: “FIFA has to come forward and take the initial step to clear the air between itself and the British people. But I believe this has to be reciprocal, not just by the British associations but also by the clubs, league, fans and media in Britain.”