ZURICH (AP) — FIFA President Sepp Blatter says he takes no joy in seeing election rival Mohamed bin Hammam suffer “public humiliation” in a bribery scandal.
Blatter says in an online column he’s “horrified” by corruption allegations that shed “a very bad light on FIFA yet again” days before next week’s presidential vote.
Bin Hammam and FIFA vice president Jack Warner face an ethics hearing Sunday over allegations stemming from the Qatari’s recent campaign trip to Trinidad.
Blatter says the two men “stood by my side” for two decades. Blatter, however, says he admires American official Chuck Blazer’s “civic courage” for reporting the alleged bribery.
