FINA Vice President Fights Allegations

(ATR) Husain Al Musallam says there was no misconduct or wrongdoing in Olympic Council of Asia business that has become the center of media reports.

A recording of Al Musallam negotiating with a Hong Kong-based firm to help sell sponsorship packages for the OCA became the center of controversy ahead of recent International Aquatics Federation elections. The recording, reported by both the Times of London and Der Spiegel showed that Al Musallam allegedly negotiated a separate commission outside of OCA accounts as part of rights agreements.

In his first public statement since the controversy, Al Musallam says that "it is now appropriate to refute the unfounded, malicious and politically motivated allegations made against me." He said that the release of the recordings was "deliberately timed," to damage his reputation within FINA.

Al Musallam said the meeting in question occurred six years ago and he was aware it was recorded.

"The OCA proposal that I made was as follows: 82 percent of the Asian Games Rights Fees would go to the Asian Games; 10 percent of the Rights Fee would go directly to the OCA (hence to 'us'); the remaining eight percent of the Rights Fee would be paid as commission to the agency," Al Musallam said. "As the tape would testify, I did not personally request any commission for me at any stage nor did I receive any commission.

"While this proposed sponsorship deal never materialized, the principle of this type of disbursement of Rights Fees is common practice inside and outside the sport industry across the globe."

Both the Times and Der Spiegel said that the recording was part of an ongoing investigation into Al Musallam that's part of the FIFA corruption scandal. Earlier this year, Guam football official Richard Lai pleaded guilty to receiving nearly $1 million in bribes from co-conspirators in the OCA and Asian Football Confederation.

Media reports have named those co-conspirators as Al Musallam and OCA President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. Both men deny the claims. Neither has been charged with any wrong-doing.

Al Musallam was running for first FINA Vice President unopposed at the time of the recording's release. His candidacy for FINA vice-president had been challenged by an interim Kuwait swimming association. The association was formed in the wake of the suspension of Kuwait by FINA over government interference. FINA rejected the challenge earlier this week, ruling the interim committee had no standing with the federation.

Al Musallam said he would not be commenting further on the situation, as he has begun to pursue legal action against "those who have made these allegations against me."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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