Former FIFA executive Mohammed Bin Hamman is fighting back. He was found guilty in July of attempting to bribe members of the Caribbean Football Union and banned for life by FIFA. He is applying to the court of arbitration for sport (CAS) in Switzerland after submitting his case to the FIFA appeals committee.

Several members of the CFU claim they were offered thousands of dollars in cash for "development projects" at a meeting of CFU officials in May, shortly before the FIFA presidential election that was to feature Bin Hammam, the Asian Football Confederation President, as the only challenger to incumbent Sepp Blatter. Bin Hammam and Concacaf chief Jack Warner were suspended over the bribery scandal; and Bin Hammam withdrew from the FIFA presidential race, leaving Blatter to run unopposed.

"But as I have vowed before, I will not rest no matter what tactical delays, forgery or biasness [sic] are put against me," said bin Hamman in his statement. "I will continue my battle until I prove my innocence and that my suspension was a political decision and an absolute abuse of power to deprive me of my right to contest for Fifa presidency."