November 30 – FIFA’s ethics committee has imposed a four-year ban on Manuel Dende (pictured second left in happier times), former president of the Sao Tomean Football Association, for accepting a bribe believed to be from former Asian confederation chief and FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.
FIFA says Dende is also fined CHF75,000 but gave no further details about the charges except to say he was found guilty of bribery and corruption plus accepting gifts.
Dende took a $50,000 cash gift from Bin Hammam, according to authors of ‘The Ugly Game’ the book about the one-time Qatari powerbroker’s dealings at FIFA.
In 2009, the book states, Dende asked Bin Hammam for $232,000 in his personal bank account to help build artificial pitches in his homeland in west Africa.
Citing Bin Hammam correspondence, the book said $50,000 was eventually wired months later.
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