Faria Alam

Faria Alam, (born 3 September 1966 in Dhaka, Bangladesh) is a former Football Association secretary who had affairs with the then England national football team manager Sven-Göran Eriksson and FA chief executive Mark Palios, leading to Palios' resignation.

Background

She stated on "Celebrity Big Brother" that she is of Bangladeshi and Pakistani descent with some Persian blood. Some of her ancestors were Sufi missionaries from Persia.

Scandal and interviews

Alam initially came to the attention of the public after the revelation of her affairs with Eriksson and Palios in August 2004. the "Mail on Sunday" and "News of the World" published interviews with Alam where she was questioned about sex with Eriksson and Palios in "graphic detail", and also mentioned a relationship with Indian actor Salman Khan (which he firmly denied). Alam was paid £200,000 for each interview. ["Faria drags Salman into Sven sleaze fest," by Amit Roy. The Telegraph (Calcutta), August 8, 2004. [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040809/asp/atleisure/story_3601808.asp] ]

In February 2007, "The News of the World" claimed that Alam offered one of their reporters sex in return for £8,000. It was further alleged that she boasted of a previous "cocaine-fuelled lesbian sex session." The evidence included a video of Alam counting the money as well as photos of her in her underwear. When confronted by the News of the World Alam called them "nonsense". In response to the allegations she is reported to have said, "That's ridiculous. I'm insulted, I`ve not met anyone this week." ["News of the World", 4 February 2007] [ [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article31122.ece "The Sun", "Faria Alam is £8k hooker", retrieved 22 February 2008] ] [ [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=433786&in_page_id=1773 "The Daily Mail" "Sven's ex-lover: The prostitute who makes more money than him", retrieved 22 February 2008] ]

A few days later, "The Sun" reported that Alam had checked into The Priory rehabilitation clinic, feeling, it was said, that "no one will touch her with a barge pole, now". ["Faria Alam now in the Priory." By Nick Parker. The Sun Online, February 9, 2007 [http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007060601,00.html] .]

In an interview with the "Eastern Eye" paper on 17 August 2007, Faria said she was now based in the USA and South America and is planning on launching a sports label in the next couple of years. "I am blissfully unaware of what takes place in the UK press nowadays and rather more concerned with what's happening in war torn Iraq and how they will become a democracy" [Eastern Eye, 17 August 2007]

Celebrity Big Brother 2006

In January 2006, Alam appeared on "Celebrity Big Brother" in the UK. During her time on Big Brother she was perceived to have flirted with former NBA star Dennis Rodman. On 17 January 2006, while up for the public vote, she commented that the British public would "never let a black or Asian win" the show on the basis that the British establishment and/or media would not permit it (Indian actress Shilpa Shetty went on to win the 2007 series a year later). On 18 January 2006, she became the second housemate to be evicted, though many observers were at pains to stress that this had nothing to do with her ethnicity, and more to do with her unprecedented levels of unpopularity due to her personality and opinions.

Film Work

In 2006, Faria got a role in Britflick Cash and Curry playing a hitwoman. In an interview [Eastern Eye, 17 August 2007] she said of the role: "It was a role that presented itself to me and I took it on as one of life's experiences".

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1812188/ Faria Alam] at the IMDb

References