FIFA's Sepp Blatter (GrahamChadwick/Allsport)

These disclosures, backed by signed confessions, will undermine in many eyes Blatter's claim to be the legitimate leader of the world game.

A year-long investigation by Soccernet into allegations that billionaire Arab supporters of Blatter systematically purchased votes came to a dramatic conclusion last month at the African Nations Cup in Mali.

Addo, also president of Somalia's soccer association, told the amazing story of how Blatter's backers tried to buy him before the vote in Paris in June 1998 to elect a successor to Joao Havelange.

Addo said: 'We at CAF had decided to commit all 51 of our votes to Lennart Johansson from UEFA. Then I received a phone call from Somalia's ambassador to one of the Gulf states.

'He said: "I have a friend who you know who wants to offer you $100,000 to switch your vote. Half in cash and the rest in sports equipment. They would send the cash to me or I could go to the Gulf to collect it".'

Addo rejected the bribe but when he arrived in Paris for the FIFA convention on the eve of the World Cup, he was shocked to discover that he was no longer accredited for the election. Another Somali official had been bribed to submit his own name instead.

Addo told CAF president Issa Hayatou and UEFA's Johansson about the scam.

'They went to the leader-ship of FIFA, saying the two confederations would make a scandal in the congress if they did not reverse that situation. ' Addo got his vote

Two months later, the Somali association called an Extraordinary Congress in Mogadishu. Two officials admitted forging the letter robbing Addo of his vote and taking $10,000 bribes.

In a signed statement supplied to Soccernet, vice-president Mohiadin Hassan Ali confessed: 'We accepted money to vote on behalf of Somalia FA for JS Blatter in the FIFA presidential elections in Paris.'

And yesterday, Hassan Ali said: 'The money was supplied by Mohamed Bin Hamman from Qatar (a FIFA executive committee member). He paid for tickets and hotel bills and pocket money for four officials from the Somali association.'

He claimed Bin Hamman inspired the conspiracy to strip Farah Addo of his vote and that they were promised money and important positions in FIFA if Blatter was elected.

Asked about the rumours that bribes were paid in Paris, Addo said: 'I have seen it with my own eyes. The night before the election people were lining up in Le Meridien Hotel to receive money.

'Some told me they got $5,000 before the vote and the same the next day, after Blatter won. I made my own private investigation and found that 18 African voters accepted bribes to vote for Blatter.'

The vote was 80 to Johansson and 111 to Blatter. If Addo is correct and 18 votes were stolen, Blatter's election was bogus.

Sportsmail asked Addo if Blatter knew what was being done in his name. He said: 'Blatter knew about the campaign. He knew who were the campaigners.'

Did Blatter steal the election in Paris? After a long pause, Addo replied: 'I will not say he stole it, but I can say that the people who worked for him tried to corrupt Africa.'

Through the late spring of 1998, corrupt soccer officials prayed that what became known as 'the plane with the money bag' would visit their country.

This private jet carried Blatter around Africa. Not all who supported Blatter accepted bribes. For some, his promise that if he were elected South Africa would get the 2006 World Cup Finals was enough.

A daily newspaper in Nairobi reported that Blatter's visit was 'a harvesting time' for soccer officials.

He and his supporters had private meetings with officials from 11 countries in his hotel room, and the report continued: 'When some delegates left their pockets looked bulkier. Several hangers-on left disappointed. Blatter had no envelopes for them.'

It is widely thought that the private plane which carried Blatter's campaign team belonged to the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, and was provided by Bin Hamman.

Last week, Soccernet tracked Bin Hamman down to his luxury hotel in Zurich and asked him if the Emir of Qatar had provided Blatter's jet.

'No,' said Bin Hamman. 'That is absolute lies.'

This is contradicted by none other than Blatter himself, who admitted to a Swiss reporter in December 1998: 'The Emir did give me his plane.'

Blatter insisted that he only borrowed it once and that he paid charter rates for all his other private flights.

Bin Hamman admitted supporting Blatter during the 1998 election campaign and accompanying him to East Africa, but denied the rumour in FIFA circles that he and a Saudi prince invested $5million to ensure that Blatter became president. 'I spent less than $50,000,' said Bin Hamman.

Soccernet asked him about the signed statement from the Somali official Hassan Ali, confessing to receiving money, tickets and accommodation in Paris, supplied by a football official from the Gulf.

At first he denied paying for tickets and accommodation, but then admitted that Hassan Ali may have been paid.

'If anybody asked me I would be happy to pay their expenses to Paris,' said Bin Hamman.