John McBeth, the Scot due to become Britain's new Fifa vice-president, has been summoned before the world governing body's ethics committee after comments he made caused an international storm.

Mr McBeth will appear before the committee after claims he made to Scottish media, suggesting that African and Caribbean associations were tainted by corruption and greed.

It will be the first major case heard by Fifa's new ethics committee, chaired by former athlete Lord Sebastian Coe, now head of the London 2012 Olympics organising committee.

Although the vacancy was due to be filled this week, the British Fifa vice-presidency will remain open until the ethics committee has made a decision.

Mr McBeth, former chairman of Clyde FC, has also agreed not to attend this week's Fifa Congress.

There are also concerns Mr McBeth's outburst could have adversely affected the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bid. Delegates from the Caribbean and Africa are due soon in Glasgow to assess the Scottish bid, whose fate depends on their conclusions.

Louise Martin, co-ordinator of Glasgow's bid, described Mr McBeth's comments as "not helpful".

Meanwhile, the CONCACAF federation - countries from the Caribbean, north, south and central America - have sent a letter of condemnation to Fifa branding Mr McBeth's remarks "racist".

Fifa and Mr McBeth said in a joint statement: "Fifa and John McBeth are in agreement that his recent statements to the media in Scotland shall be submitted to the Fifa ethics committee for examination."

In his interview with a number of Scottish newspapers, Mr McBeth, president of the Scot-tish Football Association (SFA), described Fifa president Sepp Blatter as a "tricky customer" and claimed poor nations in Africa had different ethics from the British sense of "fair play".

Mr McBeth said: "By and large, the four British countries know what fair play is and when we're stepping out of line.

"But, as soon as you hit Africa, it's a slightly different kettle of fish. They're poor nations and want to grab what they can. I presume the Caribbean is much the same - they just come at it in a different way."

Jack Warner, CONCACAF president, who is from Trinidad and Tobago and is one of seven Fifa vice-presidents, reacted angrily to the remarks.

He said: "Why did he only mention African and Caribbean countries? To me, that smacks of racism of the worst kind. We all feel deeply insulted and we will support any moves to send him back to Scotland where he belongs."

It is understood Mr Warner told the executive committee meeting on Sunday he was seriously offended by Mr McBeth's comments.

It now seems likely the Scot may be forced to step down and the home nations hold another election to find a successor to David Will, the Scottish lawyer, who is retiring after 17 years.

The SFA declined to make a comment.