Qatar’s Mohamed Bin Hamman pulls out of FIFA presidential race

The move came a day before the 62-year-old Asian Football Confederation chief was due to face an ethics committee hearing into bribery claims.

Mr Bin Hamman said he did not want to see Fifa's name "dragged more in the mud".

Mr Bin Hammam had been due to stand against Fifa chief Sepp Blatter, who is also facing the inquiry. Both deny corruption claims.

Mr Bin Hammam stressed his withdrawal must not "be tied to the investigation held by the Fifa ethics committee", pledging that he would appear before the panel to clear his name.

His decision not to run means that Mr Blatter is the only remaining candidate in the election of the new Fifa president, scheduled for Wednesday.

In his statement, Bin Hammam said: "I made the decision to run for the FIFA presidency because I was and remain committed to change within FIFA.

"I set out my goals and ambitions clearly -- to further the cause of democracy within FIFA -- through a commitment to transparency and accountability; through a commitment to expand the number of officials and nations involved in decision-making processes.

"In addition to this, I wanted to spark a debate about change in FIFA. For the good of football, I wanted the future to be bright for our world's governing body and for it to adapt to the ever-changing world we live in today.

"However, recent events have left me hurt and disappointed -- on a professional and personal level.

"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.

The Fifa's ethics committee hearing is due to start in Zurich, Switzerland, later on today.

A news conference has been scheduled for 1600 GMT, where the hearing's outcome could be announced.

Mr Bin Hammam and Fifa Vice President Jack Warner face allegations from executive committee member Chuck Blazer that they offered bribes at a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) on 10 and 11 May.

A file of evidence claims bundles of cash of up to 24,200 sterling were handed over to members of the CFU at the meeting in Trinidad.

Both Mr Bin Hammam and Mr Warner deny the allegations.

Mr Bin Hammam has effectively claimed that Mr Blatter - who is bidding for a fourth term in office - failed to report the payment of alleged bribes, in itself a breach of Fifa's ethics code.

Mr Blatter, 75, denies any wrongdoing. In a statement on Friday, he said: "I cannot comment on the proceedings that have been opened against me today. The facts will speak for themselves."

The latest twist in the bitter fight for Fifa presidency follows weeks of damaging headlines and allegations in the wake of the vote for the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

The former was awarded to Russia and the latter to Qatar.