FIFA committee member sent home for selling England tickets

A member of FIFA’s top brass has been sent home from the World Cup in disgrace after admitting selling England tickets for three times their face value.

Ismail Bhamjee, a member of FIFA’s executive committee, was caught in a sting by a British Sunday newspaper.

He has been ordered by FIFA to resign from all World Cup-related duties and leave Germany as soon as possible.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said: “I am very disappointed about the conduct of a member of the FIFA executive committee. In such a situation, FIFA acts immediately and firmly.”

Bhamjee, from Botswana in southern Africa, confirmed in a written statement that he has sold the tickets for England versus Trinidad for triple their face value.

He has signed a declaration saying: “I, Ismail Bhamjee, member of the FIFA executive committee, hereby confirm the fact that I have sold on 12 category one tickets of the 2006 FIFA World Cup match England versus Trinidad and Tobago, played on 15 June in Nuremberg, for €300 each, ie €200 above face value for each ticket.

“I deeply regret this incorrect act and apologise to FIFA for violating the relevant terms and conditions governing the sale of tickets for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.”

FIFA called a meeting of their emergency committee after being presented with evidence by the Mail on Sunday.

The organisation said in a statement: “As an immediate reaction to this behaviour, FIFA’s emergency committee under the chairmanship of president Joseph S Blatter decided that Mr Bhamjee had to immediately resign from all FIFA World Cup-related duties and leave Germany at the earliest possible moment.”