Worawi denies being banned over role in World Cup voting

Giving his first public comments since being slapped with a 90-day suspension by Fifa’s ethics committee, the 63-year-old confirmed that he would stand for reelection as FA head. Worawi was provisionally banned from all football-related activities last Monday for what world football’s governing body suggested was a breach of its ethics code. 

Insisting he had done nothing wrong in the December 2010 bidding to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which was eventually won by Russia and Qatar respectively, Worawi said his ban was likely a result of him being convicted by a Bangkok criminal court for forgery earlier this year.

“Someone sent the court ruling to Fifa, which resulted in the decision to suspend me. They [Fifa] want to conduct a thorough investigation into what happened. I have appealed against the court’s decision and the case is not over yet as I can still appeal to the supreme court.

“I’m innocent. I have given Fifa all the details about the case. I’m waiting to see what Fifa will do now, but I hope they will understand.

“I insist the suspension had nothing to do with my involvement in the bidding process for the 2018 and 2020 World Cups as a member of the executive board,” said the FA boss, who lost his Fifa seat in May after 18 years at world football’s top table. 

The embattled soccer chief stressed that the Fifaappointed normalisation committee only had jurisdiction to stage the presidential election, which must be held after February 14. 

“Regarding the removal of the FAT executive board and the appointment of a normalisation committee by Fifa, I would like to make it clear that the board did nothing wrong and that they were forced out only because Fifa deemed their mandate had come to the end.

“The normalisation committee was jointly proposed by the association, the SAT [Sports Authority of Thailand] and presidential candidates in order to avoid a vacuum at the Thai FA. However, they are unable to intervene in the running of the association, which is now being overseen by the secretary general.”

Worawi made a plea to everyone concerned to sit down and try to find a solution to what he described as “one of the storms” he has faced in his life.

“I ask the SAT to invite everyone involved for face-to-face talks. We will discuss things logically, no more negative talk behind people’s backs. That will help us establish the facts and whether anyone is wrong, in order to address the problem and collectively find a solution.

“The sports community should talk – no more placing the blame on others. … I’m ready to give an opportunity to anyone who wants to compete against me [for the FA presidency].  

“It is definitely one of the storms in my life. I’m not really worried but I feel disheartened. What I’ve done is to boost the value of Thai football in terms of TV rights, and oversee the progress of a national team that has won every trophy on offer in Southeast Asia. 

“The incidents last week are threatening to derail our work in developing Thai football. I don’t want to see the collapse of all we’ve done. Both the domestic league and the national team are on the right track. The progress is obvious to everyone.

“I’m ready to stand in the election and serve all member clubs once again. The task for all of us is to move Thai football forward. I’m hopeful that everything will arrive at a positive conclusion,” said Worawi.