Warner resigns from FIFA and CONCACAF
442 Staff - Monday 20 June 2011, 15:29
LONDON - Jack Warner, who had threatened
a "tsunami" of revelations about the way football is run, quit as
FIFA Vice-President on Monday, prompting the sport's governing
body to drop an investigation into bribery allegations against
the Trinidadian.
Warner, 68, who had been suspended pending a FIFA Ethics Committee probe into bribery claims, has resigned from all his
international football posts including the position of CONCACAF
president.
"FIFA regrets the turn of events that have led to Mr
Warner's decision," the organisation said in a statement.
"As a consequence of Mr Warner's self-determined resignation
all ethics committee procedures against him have been closed and
the presumption of innocence is maintained."
Warner was being investigated in a cash-for-votes scandal
relating to the campaign of then-FIFA presidential candidate
Mohamed Bin Hammam that rocked football's governing body in the
run-up to the June 1 election.
At the centre of the investigation was a meeting with
Caribbean Football Union (CFU) members in Trinidad relating to
Bin Hammam's campaign which was organised by Warner and the
Qatari.
"This decision [to resign]... comes during the sequel to
the contentious Mohamed Bin Hammam meeting in Port of Spain in
May with CFU delegates," Warner said in a statement.
"I am convinced, and I am advised by counsel, that since my
actions did not extend beyond facilitating the meeting that gave
Mr. Bin Hammam an opportunity to pursue his aborted bid for the
FIFA presidency, I would be fully exonerated by any objective
arbiter.
"I have, nonetheless, arrived at the decision to withdraw
from FIFA affairs in order to spare FIFA, CONCACAF and, in
particular, CFU and its membership, from further acrimony and
divisiveness arising from this and related issues."
Bin Hammam quit the race for the presidency shortly before
being suspended in late May along with Warner, paving the way
for Sepp Blatter to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth term
with an immediate pledge to beef up the fight against
corruption.
Warner was until recently an ally of Blatter for the near 30
years. The Trinidadian was involved with FIFA and CONCACAF, the
North and Central American and Caribbean football confederation.
FIFA observers say Blatter gave him a free hand to run
CONCACAF as he saw fit in return for the block support of its
35-member federations.
However, last month Warner threatened to unleash a "football
tsunami" by revealing contents of emails with Blatter before
later backing down for what he said were legal reasons.
POLITICAL CAREER
An angry Warner made public an email sent by FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke that suggested the 2022 World Cup was
"bought" by Qatar.
Valcke later said he meant the bid had used its financial
strength to lobby for support.
Warner was re-elected unopposed as CONCACAF president in May
before some supporters turned against him after his ban.
He and Bin Hammam had been accused of attempting to bribe
delegates of the Caribbean Football Union with inducements of
$40,000 to vote for the Qatari.
Warner, who has denied any involvement in bribing or
attempting to bribe delegates, will now focus his attention on
his political career in his home country.
"I shall, henceforth, be concentrating exclusively on my
lifelong commitment to the service of the people of Trinidad and
Tobago, currently as chairman of the major party in our
governing coalition and as a cabinet minister in the government
of our republic," Warner said.
FIFA said his resignation had been accepted and said his
"contribution to international football and to Caribbean
football in particular and the CONCACAF confederation are
appreciated and acknowledged."
CONCACAF is currently staging the Gold Cup continental
championship in the United States.