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Associated Press

Fifa Council member Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait is resigning from his roles under pressure from allegations in an American federal court that he bribed Asian officials.
Sheikh Ahmad said on Sunday he will withdraw from a May 8 election in Bahrain for the Fifa seat representing Asia which he currently holds.
“I do not want these allegations to create divisions or distract attention from the upcoming AFC (Asian Football Confederation) and Fifa Congresses,” said the Kuwaiti royal, who denies any wrongdoing.
“Therefore, after careful consideration, I have decided it is in the best interests of Fifa and the AFC, for me to withdraw my candidacy for the FIFA Council and resign from my current football positions.”

Powerbroker Sheikh Ahmed Al Fahd Al Sabah withdraws candidacy for FIFA Council & resigns from football positions after allegations pic.twitter.com/MDK4nHGrlc
— Dan Roan (@danroan) April 30, 2017

<![CDATA[// ><!]]>

The long-time Olympic Council of Asia president contacted the ethics panels of Fifa and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after the allegations were made in Brooklyn federal courthouse on Thursday.
Fifa audit committee member Richard Lai, an American citizen from Guam, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy charges related to taking around $1 million in bribes, including from Kuwaiti officials. The cash was to buy influence and help recruit other Asian officials prepared to take bribes, Lai said in court.
How Hong Kong background of Fifa’s latest corrupt official came in useful as he funnelled bribes back to city
Sheikh Ahmad resigned his candidacy ahead of a Fifa panel deciding whether to remove him on ethical grounds.
The Fifa Review Committee, which rules on the integrity of people seeking senior Fifa positions, has been studying the Sheikh Ahmad’s candidacy since the allegations emerged.

The Fifa ethics committee is making a separate assessment of whether to provisionally suspend the sheikh, a long-time leader of Kuwait’s soccer federation who was elected to Fifa’s ruling committee in 2015.
Resigning from his positions does not necessarily put Sheikh Ahmad out of reach of Fifa ethics prosecutors and judges if any action was taken.
Sepp Blatter loses appeal at CAS against six-year Fifa ban
In 2012, former Fifa presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar was banned for life by the ethics committee days after he resigned.
Bin Hammam was also clearly identified in Lai’s court hearing for having paid Lai a total of $100,000 in bribes to support the Qatari’s failed challenge to Fifa’s then-president Sepp Blatter in 2011.

Bin Hammam was removed from that election contest in a Caribbean bribery case.
Sheikh Ahmad has also contacted the IOC’s ethics commission about the allegations against him, the IOC said on Saturday.

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Fifa official Sheikh Ahmad resigning amid Richard Lai bribery claims

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah in 2015. Photo: AP

(FILES) This file photo taken on October 20, 2015 shows Kuwaiti FIFA executive member Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah gesturing outside the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah, an influential member of both the International Football Federation (FIFA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced on April 30, 2017 that he resigns from the FIFA Council to defend himself in a corruption case. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI

Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah attends a press conference at the main press centre for 17th 2014 Asian Games in Incheon on September 21, 2014. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) general assembly, the day before, rubber-stamped a decision by its leaders to let Indonesia stage the 2018 Asian Games. AFP PHOTO / RICHARD A. BROOKS

Sport

Football

Kuwaiti withdraws from May 8 election in Bahrain for the seat with the world governing body representing Asia which he currently holds
