Mohamed bin Hammam was vying to become FIFA’s next president until he suddenly withdrew due to allegations of corruption within the organization.  Bin Hammam was attempting to unseat incumbent Sepp Blatter who has been FIFA’s president for the past 13 years.

The Qatari challenger to 13-year incumbent Sepp Blatter has been accused of arranging bribes for up to 25 presidential voters on a campaign visit to the Caribbean this month.

“Recent events have left me hurt and disappointed — on a professional and personal level,” Bin Hammam wrote on his personal website. “It saddens me that standing up for the causes that I believed in has come at a great price — the degradation of FIFA’s reputation. This is not what I had in mind for FIFA, and this is unacceptable.

“I cannot allow the name that I loved to be dragged more and more in the mud because of competition between two individuals. The game itself and the people who love it around  the world must come first. It is for this reason that I announce my withdrawal from the presidential election.”

Bin Hammam’s statement is interesting.  He makes it sound like he’s been personally wounded by some smear campaign.  However, he’s dropping out of the race before any actual hearings take place.  If he’s really “standing up for the causes” that he believes in, why not this one.  I understand not wanting to drag FIFA and soccer through it all, but wouldn’t FIFA be stronger for it if bin Hammam was actually innocent of the charges?  I just find the timing odd.

“I have a special thank you to my friend and colleague Jack Warner for his unlimited support,” Bin Hammam said. “I am sorry to see that he has to suffer because of me, but I am promising him that I will be with him all the way through thick and thin.”

Bin Hammam decided to try to become the first Asian president in FIFA’s 106-year history after playing an important role in Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup.

Buying votes is a time honored tradition in many nations – including the United States.  Perhaps bin Hammam doesn’t really see anything wrong with his actions.

[Source: The LA Times]

Lassi looks like he could score from anywhere on the field.  Too bad he’s the goalie.  Now watch this amazing Johnny Mac Football Video and compare.  You know, these two guys do kind of look alike.

The fact is, somebody somewhere has made you want to do exactly what Spanish soccer defender Victor Ruiz did to Danish striker Billie Nielsen.  And the best part is, Spain’s U-21s team went on to beat the Danish U-21s 2-1.  Now that’s karma that keeps on giving.

Enjoy the video.  Feel free to watch it several times…just in case you need to exorcise some demons.

Special thanks to The Big Lead for this one.

Barcelona dominated Almeria on Wednesday 3-0 and stepped into the finals of the Copa del Rey league in Spain.  That wasn’t the only score Almeria has to feel bad about, though.  Barcelona crushed Almeria 8-0 in aggregate score.  According to FIFA.com:

Barcelona had won the first leg 5-0 and a second-string side finished off the job with Brazilian Adriano, teenager Thiago Alcantara and Dutch midfielder Afellay all on target as the club reached their second cup final in three seasons with an 8-0 aggregate win.

Real Madrid or holders Sevilla, who face off in the other semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu later on Wednesday, will face Barcelona in the final at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.

“I am glad to get through to the final and it was a great team performance,” said Adriano. “It was fantastic to score my first goal for Barcelona. I don’t mind who we get in the final. Sevilla could still win it so we will just have to see.”

Record winners Barcelona, who have won the competition 25 times, are now dreaming of repeating their 2009 treble when they won the Champions League, league title and Kings Cup.

For Almeria, who were thrashed 8-0 by Barcelona in the league, it was the end of a cup run that saw them reach the last four for the first time in their history, and now they have to concentrate on fighting relegation.

Sunday’s match-up between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers may mark the end of the American football season, but you can get the sights and sounds of the beautiful sport all year around as the world’s game never ends.  We’ll keep you updated, especially as the MLS season here in the US starts up in late March.

[Source: Playmyfootball.com]

From Cam Newtown of Auburn to David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays, SI has laid out a nice photo gallery of its “Breakout Athletes of 2010″.  There’s quite a spread across the sports genre; MMA, soccer, tennis and hockey to name a few.  Enjoy.

[Source: The Matador Sports]

It took overtime but Spain won the 2010 World Cup on Sunday over the Netherlands on a goal by Andrés Iniesta in the 116th minute (for American’s they usually play just 90 minutes).  Iniesta should never have to buy another beer, dinner, or  woman in Spain ever again.

Watch the Video of Andrés Iniesta’s World Cup Winning Goal

Congrats to Spain along with the rest of the players and teams that competed in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Charlie Davies of the USA national soccer team was seriously injured in a car crash early Tuesday in the Washington, D.C. area.  Davies, a forward on the team, was taken by helicopter from the scene to a local hospital where he was treated for extensive injuries.

Sgt. David Schlosser, spokesman for U.S. Park Police, told the Insider this morning that the accident investigation will take at least one to two weeks. “It’s a complicated crash reconstruction,” he said. “We won’t have any answers right away.”

Hospital officials have stated that Davies has a lacerated bladder, fractured right leg,face and left elbow.

Team USA played Coasta Rica to a 2-2 tie tonight at RFK Stadium in D.C. on Wednesday night. Fans help up “9″ (his uniform number) signs throughout the match.

Davies is not expected to heal fast enough to play in the next years World Cup.

Photos from the Crash Scene