Soccer: Dempsey 'free vote' claimed

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Tongan Oceania Football Confederation executive member Nalu Fusimalohi has hit out at fellow delegates who crossed the floor when push came to shove at last Sunday's meeting when Charlie Dempsey's controversial "non-vote" was discussed.

In confirming he had no doubt Dempsey had the necessary support for a free vote at the 2006 World Cup ballot in Zurich, Fusimalohi said none of the executive members who had supported the call from the OFC office to allow Dempsey a free hand spoke up at Sunday's meeting.

"I was surprised some who had agreed to the free vote crossed the floor when the issue was raised on Sunday," said Fusimalohi. "None of the six who had agreed spoke up. The minority have been going around making statements while those of us in the majority have been silent."

Speaking from Nuku'alofa yesterday after attending an executive meeting of the Tongan Football Association, Fusimalohi said: "I have no doubt six countries agreed that Charlie Dempsey should be given the freedom to vote in the best interest of Oceania."

Various straw polls taken in the last couple of days appear to show that Samoa, American Samoa, Vanuatu, Cook Islands and Tonga supported the call for a free vote. Of the two countries not contacted by the OFC office, it seems certain Tahiti would not have given their support while Papua New Guinea's position remains unclear.

But five votes, along with Dempsey's presidential vote, were enough to ensure he had the freedom he sought to act in "Oceania's best interest."

Fusimalohi, further pointing the finger at fellow executive members, said: "We should be blamed for continually changing decisions. I can guarantee Tonga was one who said Charlie Dempsey should have the freedom to make the final decision.

"There is no doubt that at our meeting in Apia [in May] England was the first choice and South Africa the second when the [only] vote [7-5 in England's favour] was taken. But when I moved there should be a formal second vote to confirm who should be our choice when England dropped out I was not given that opportunity.

"At our meeting today the Tongan executive still maintained our stance that he [Dempsey] should have been given the freedom to vote in the best interests of Oceania."

OFC general secretary Josephine King said yesterday she will swear an affidavit today in which she will name the six countries who gave tacit support to Dempsey.

"That will be held by my lawyer," said King.

Meanwhile, South African bid chairman Irvin Khoza, who had originally said he would not seek a "revote," said yesterday that he would meet his legal adviser Michael Katz to discuss the matter. Fifa bosses have ruled out a rerun of the controversial vote.

"For legal reasons, the vote is over," said Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren. "The executive committee decided on the procedure itself, and the procedure was then carried out in the presence of a Swiss public notary . . ."

Fifa secretary-general Michel Zen Ruffinen yesterday confirmed Germany's success in winning the right to host the World Cup could not be changed.