Thailand’s Worawi vows to challenge FIFA ban

AFP, BANGKOK: Former Thai football chief Worawi Makudi has vowed to push FIFA to lift its ban on him after an appeals court in Bangkok overturned his conviction for forgery.
Worawi, who had a long and tumultuous tenure in charge of Thai football, was banned for five years by FIFA last year following his July 2015 conviction.
He was found guilty by a Thai court of forging documents during a re-election campaign as head of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT).
FIFA's five-year ban was for both that conviction and for failing to cooperate with their own investigation.
But on Friday, Thailand's Appeals Court overturned the forgery conviction and the football club that made the initial complaint, Pattaya FC, said it would not take the case to the Supreme Court.
Speaking to AFP on Sunday, Worawi said FIFA had rushed their decision to ban him before he had exhausted all his legal appeals.
“They (FIFA) have to accept the decision from the (appeals) court,” he said.
“I don't know why they were so rushed to make a decision at that time because I told them to wait for our legal proceedings (to finish),” he added.
At a press conference on Friday, Worawi's lawyer Narinpong Jinapak said he would file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport if FIFA refused to lift the ban.

Thailands Worawi vows to challenge FIFA ban

AFP, BANGKOK: Former Thai football chief Worawi Makudi has vowed to push FIFA to lift its ban on him after an appeals court in Bangkok overturned his conviction for forgery. Worawi, who had a long and tumultuous tenure in charge of Thai football, was banned for five years by FIFA last year following his July 2015 conviction. He was found guilty by a Thai court of forging documents during a re-election campaign as head of the Football Association of Thailand (FAT). FIFAs five-year ban was for both that conviction and for failing to cooperate with their own investigation. But on Friday, Thailands Appeals Court overturned the forgery conviction and the football club that made the initial complaint, Pattaya FC, said it would not take the case to the Supreme Court. Speaking to AFP on Sunday, Worawi said FIFA had rushed their decision to ban him before he had exhausted all his legal appeals. They (FIFA) have to accept the decision from the (appeals) court, he said. I dont know why they were so rushed to make a decision at that time because I told them to wait for our legal proceedings (to finish), he added. At a press conference on Friday, Worawis lawyer Narinpong Jinapak said he would file a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport if FIFA refused to lift the ban.