Bermuda Football Association won praise in the Senate yesterday for refusing bribes in FIFA’s alleged cash for votes scandal.Progressive Labour Party Senator Jonathan Smith commended the BFA for allegedly turning down cash from top FIFA executives Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner for their votes in this month’s presidential election.Smith said president Larry Mussenden, vice-president Gregory Grimes and general secretary David Sabir had enhanced Bermuda’s reputation overseas. He told the Upper House: “We all know that story is reverberating around the world and kudos is being given to Bermuda.“When a leader demonstrates an ability to stand up on ethics, I think that needs to be recognised. I think it’s absolutely tremendous that Bermuda has now been recognised.”Bermuda were among four Caribbean nations whose officials rejected cash payments allegedly arranged by bin Hammam and Warner.Mussenden gave a sworn statement in an evidence dossier that sparked the scandal and prompted FIFA’s ethics panel to suspend two bin Hammam and Warner.A report into their initial hearings found “compelling” evidence of bribery, and states Mussenden told Sabir not to accept an envelope filled with $100 bills.The cash allegedly intended to influence Bermuda and the other nations to back bin Hammam against FIFA president Sepp Blatter.Warner quit as vice-president of FIFA after being suspended pending an investigation, while bin Hammam faces a full inquiry before FIFA’s ethics committee next month; both deny wrong-doing.Smith said yesterday: “Bermuda is a little beacon of light in all of this and its actions mean we will see a huge sea-change in FIFA.”Fellow PLP Senator David Burt supported Smith’s comments, saying Mussenden in particular, a former Attorney General, is a great credit to the Island for his work with FIFA.