Warner Ally Set For Ethics Committee Hearing

Colin Klass, a member of the Caribbean Football Union's (CFU) executive committee and head of the Guyana Football Association for 22 years, was provisionally suspended by the committee last month.

He will appear before the ethics committee in Zurich tomorrow to answer charges relating to 40,000 US dollars in bribes allegedly offered by former presidential candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam.

Klass, who has denied any wrongdoing, attended the meeting in Trinidad in May where cash gifts in brown envelopes were handed out to official from the CFU.

A report by private investigators from ex-FBI director Louis Freeh's company quotes evidence from Bahamas vice-president Fred Lunn, who took a photo of the cash he was given before returning it on the afternoon of May 10, stating that Klass went into the room when the money was being given.

The report states: "Outside the boardroom, Mr Lunn encountered Lionel Haven (a former Bahamas FA board member) and Colin Klass.

"According to Mr Lunn, Mr Klass stated: 'Why is this door locked? Are there people getting bribed around here?'

"The male (CFU official) then allowed Mr Klass to enter the boardroom, which he exited after a few minutes. Mr Lunn noticed that Mr Klass had a smile on his face and was slightly giggling."

Klass told investigators, however, that he did not go into the boardroom or receive any cash gifts.

He added last month: "My position remains the same and I will be outspoken about it. They are going about things in the wrong way. I fear no evil because I am not worried."

A further 15 Caribbean officials under investigation are awaiting hearing dates.

Klass is a long-time ally of Warner, who resigned as FIFA vice-president in June, and freely admitted to investigators he had organised a letter-writing campaign insisting no bribes had been paid and that Warner was innocent.

Bin Hammam was last month banned for life on charges of giving or offering bribes and is taking his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.