l ZURICH

CONCACAF's acting president has asked Chuck Blazer to explain why he turned over evidence that sparked one of the worst corruption scandals in FIFA's 107-year history.

Lisle Austin, CONCACAF's senior vice-president, said he sent Blazer a letter yesterday asking the American for proof he was acting at the request of the federation's executive committee when he gave FIFA a file outlining bribery allegations against Jack Warner and Mohamed Bin Hammam. Only the executive committee could authorise such an action, Austin said.

Warner, the long-time CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president, and Bin Hammam were temporarily suspended on Sunday over allegations they gave Caribbean football leaders US$40,000 each, in exchange for their votes in this week's FIFA presidential elections. Bin Hammam, a Qatari, who leads Asia's football confederation, had been Sepp Blatter's only challenger in tomorrow's election. He withdrew early on Sunday before the ethics committee hearing.

Warner and Bin Hammam now face a full FIFA enquiry. If found guilty, they could be expelled from FIFA and banned from all football activity.

Austin also said he wants CONCACAF, which represents football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, to cease its dealings with John P Collins, a former federal prosecutor who conducted the investigation for Blazer.

Collins represents CONCACAF, and also sits on FIFA's legal committee.