The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) have been forced to deny claims their World Player of the Year vote was fixed to ensure Lionel Messi would take home the prize.
In reacting to some of the allegations, FIFA stated that Two votes for Mohamed Salah in the Best Fifa men’s player award were not counted because signatures were in capital letters.
According to report gathered by Punch.ng, the Egyptian Football Association said acting Egypt coach Shawky Gharib and captain Ahmed Elmohamady voted for Liverpool forward Salah.
FIFA said, “The signatures on the voting forms were in capital letters and thus seemed not valid.”
The forms also lacked a mandatory signature by the EFA general secretary.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi won the award on Monday ahead of Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
Since the awards ceremony Salah has removed “Egypt” from his Twitter profile, which now reads, “Footballer for Liverpool FC.”
He also posted a tweet which translates as, “Whatever they do to try to change my love for Egypt, they will not succeed.”
Egyptian Football Association president Amr El-Ganainy said he talked with Salah. He said, “I talked with Salah explained to him it was an administrative mistake.”
Nicaragua captain Juan Barrera called into question the authenticity of his country’s votes in the awards as he said he did not submit any votes.
FIFA’s records show that Barrera voted for Lionel Messi as best player and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp as best manager.
“I did not vote in the awards #TheBest2019 any information about my vote is false,” 30-year-old midfielder Barrera tweeted.
FIFA said it has asked the Nicaraguan Football Federation to investigate the matter after receiving “votes signed by the player”.
The Nicaraguan federation have been approached for comment.
Credit: Punch
