FINA Candidate Target of Newspaper Expose

(ATR) Intrigue surrounding elections for the International Aquatics Federation grows with the release of an audio tape by two European newspapersof vice presidential candidate Husain Al Musallam .

Germany's Der Spiegel and the Times of London report Al Musallam is heard discussing commission payments for Olympic Council of Asia sponsorships with a Hong Kong-based firm. The reports say Al Musallam, who is director general of the OCA, appears to negotiate payments directly to himself as well as the marketing firm.

Around the Rings understands that Al Musallam is considering legal actions against the two newspapers for misrepresenting the situation.

The Kuwaiti sports leader is running unopposed for his seat in the July 22 election. But the contest for president is a bitter battle, with Italian Swimming federation president Paolo Barelli trying to unseat Julio Maglione. The 81-year old Uruguayan has served since 2009.

The reports from Der Spiegel and the Times say that the recording is linked to an ongoing American 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 have been charged with any wrong-doing.

Comments have been requested from Al Musallam by ATR.

The OCA said in a statement that it did not doubt the recording’s authenticity, but added "all money for sponsorship deals went directly to the OCA."

"The OCA firmly denies that OCA officials requested commissions for OCA sponsorship deals and confirms that no commission or money was paid to OCA officials, directly or indirectly, for OCA sponsorship deals," the statement said.

"The OCA is fully aware of the tape in question and its content and believes that this tape is being used in a politically motivated campaign ahead of the upcoming FINA elections."

A statement from FINA said that the federation would "monitor developments carefully" but concluded that "there was no breach of any FINA regulations."

The IOC says the reports about Al Musallam have been referred to the IOC Ethics and Compliance Officer. While Al Musallam is not an IOC member, as an officer for an Olympic federation, FINA, as well as the OCA, his actions can trigger an IOC probe.

Al Musallam’s unopposed candidacy for FINA vice-president was already challenged by an interim Kuwait swimming association. The association was formed in the wake of the suspension of Kuwait by FINA over government interference. Earlier this week FINA rejected the challenge, ruling the interim committee had no standing with the federation.

According to Jenns Weinreich of Der Spiegel, FINA President Julio Maglione, director general Cornel Marculescu, and Al Musallam met Tuesday night in Budapest for a "crisis meeting". The FINA elections and 2017 World Championships are taking place in the Hungarian capital.

If elected Al Musallam will serve as FINA’s senior vice president, meaning he would assume the federation presidency if Maglione were to step down.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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