Friday, 24 December 2010

Ex-PFF prexy strikes back at FIFA for favoring his ouster

MANILA, Philippines � Former Philippine Football Federation (PFF) president Jose Mari Martinez struck back at the F�d�ration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for favoring his ouster from his post.

In a letter addressed to FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, Martinez said the world�s football governing body has came out with a one sided decision regarding the dispute embroiling the PFF leadership.

�I absolutely cannot accept your one sided, unfair and unjust decision which reeks of impartiality. Your decision was/is based on loose and questionable evidence,� the embattled PFF official said in his letter.

FIFA, , also known as the International Federation of Association Football, earlier acknowledged the removal of Martinez from PFF presidency, citing that the move was made according to PFF statutes.

Last November, the PFF Congress voted to remove and replace Martinez "due to unauthorized disbursement of PFF funds, falsification of public documents, and failure to return missing funds before a set deadline."

The resolution to have Martinez removed was voted by 26 of the 33 total PFF congress members.

However, Martinez claimed that most of those members who voted against him should have not been given the chance to elect a new PFF president.

"Those who voted are not members of good standing as all their documents (SEC registration) are either incomplete, non existent plus whose status are in arrears,� he said.

He added that his impeachment was not included in the agenda of the PFF's 7th Ordinary Congress on Nov. 27, 2010 when he was removed from his post.

In issuing such ruling, Martinez said FIFA has effectively violated its own directive last Dec. 3, calling for status quo and convening of a special PFF congress after 90 days.

Martinez said he will file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn FIFA's decision.

Martinez also challenged FIFA to send a representative to Manila to conduct an impartial investigation on the leadership squabble.

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), meanwhile, sided with Martinez regarding the issue.

In a letter sent to Valcke, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed bin Hammam said he will join Martinez in challenging FIFA's decision at the CAS.

"The action taken by FIFA is a clear indication of your intention to interfere with the AFC coming elections. The same way you did in our Congress in 2009 and I will not tolerate such interference," said Hammam.

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