Mohamed Bin Hammam demands Fifa also investigate Sepp Blatter

Mohamed Bin Hammam last night demanded that Fifa president Sepp Blatter himself be included in the investigation by the world governing body's ethics committee.

Bin Hammam, who along with Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has been charged with bribery, claims Blatter has also been named in evidence submitted to the ethics committee ahead of a hearing on Sunday. The 62-year-old Qatari, who is standing against Blatter in next week's presidential election, said in a statement: "Mohamed Bin Hammam was surprised by yesterday's accusations of bribery. He rejects these accusations.

"The accusations also contain statements according to which Mr Blatter, the incumbent Fifa president, was informed of, but did not oppose, payments allegedly made to members of the Caribbean Football Union. Mr Bin Hammam has therefore requested that the investigation by the Ethics Committee be extended to include Mr Blatter himself.

"The timing of the accusations so close to the election of Fifa president on 1 June, suggests that they are part of a plan to damage Mr Bin Hammam and force him to withdraw as a candidate for the Fifa presidency."

He had earlier branded claims that he is trying to smear his opponent as "ludicrous".

Blatter said in his column on insideworldfootball.biz: "I am horrified by the most recent developments that are shedding a very bad light on Fifa yet again. No sane person can take pleasure in this development, and no decent person will enjoy the troubles of others."

The bribery claims centre on a file, compiled by US lawyer John Collins, which includes signed affidavits from witnesses who allege they were offered bundles of cash of up to $40,000 (24,400) at a special congress organised by Warner so that some Concacaf federations could meet Bin Hammam ahead of the presidential vote.