Blazer refuses to cut ties with lawyers
Reuters - Tuesday 31 May 2011, 17:37
MIAMI - CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck
Blazer has refused to cut ties with lawyers looking into bribery
allegations, putting him at loggerheads with the troubled football confederation's new interim president.
Barbadian Lisle Austin was appointed interim president of
the North and Central America and Caribbean regional governing
body on Monday in place of the suspended FIFA vice-president
Jack Warner.
Austin's first act was to issue Blazer with a written demand
to stop working with the U.S. lawyers, Collins and Collins, who
presented evidence against Warner.
But Blazer, also a FIFA executive committee member, told
Reuters on Tuesday that he had no intention of ending the
relationship with the Chicago-based firm.
It was Blazer's report to FIFA's Ethics Committee, which
included allegations of bribery against Warner and Asian football chief Mohammed Bin Hammam of Qatar, that led to this week's
explosion of accusations and counter-accusations at world football's governing body in Zurich.
Austin gave the American 48 hours to explain by what
authority he appointed Chicago-based Collins and Collins to
conduct investigations into the members of CONCACAF.
Blazer said it was within his rights to work with the legal
firm.
"It clearly falls under my jurisdiction as general secretary
of CONCACAF," said Blazer.
The clash comes just days before CONCACAF's premier
tournament - the Gold Cup - kicks off in Dallas on Sunday with
the region's top national teams in action.
As well as the rift over the lawyers, Blazer moved on
Tuesday to report his former long-time ally Warner to FIFA for
breach of his suspension which bars him from all
football-related activities.