Ban Ends for Former Nigerian FIFA Executive Amos Adamu

Former FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu says he holds "no grudge" a day after his three-year ban for seeking bribes to influence World Cup voting expired and he was able to work in football again.

Adamu was one of a number of high-level FIFA officials caught up in corruption allegations around the fiercely-criticized votes that selected Russia and Qatar as hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively, and left the world football body badly damaged by scandal in late 2010.

The Nigerian, whose ban ended Sunday, told The Associated Press on Monday "I can only thank God it is over," but wouldn't comment on if he would return to football or try to run again for either a role with FIFA or the Confederation of African Football, where he also was a member of the executive committee.

"I hold no grudge against anyone," Adamu said in a telephone interview before declining to answer further questions. "No comments now."

Adamu was filmed in a British newspaper sting three years ago asking undercover reporters posing as bidders for $800,000 to influence his World Cup hosting vote, saying he wanted the money paid to him personally so he could finance football fields in Nigeria. He was suspended and not allowed to take part in the December 2010 votes, was ultimately banned for three years by FIFA and failed in two appeals against his sanction.