Warner 'can prove' FIFA foul play over TV rights
Reuters - Friday 13 January 2012, 22:55
Ousted former FIFA
vice-president Jack Warner said on Friday he had documented
evidence to back his claim that he was gifted World Cup
television rights in return for FIFA votes and accused the
organisation of being "disingenuous and dishonest."
The Trinidadian, who had promised to unleash a "tsunami"
against FIFA following his suspension from football's world
governing body, said last month he was awarded the TV rights for
seven World Cups at a minimal fee as a reward for securing votes
for FIFA president Sepp Blatter in his election campaigns.
For the 1998 tournament, Warner said FIFA sold the rights to
him, through a Mexican company, for just $1.
FIFA hit back last week saying Warner had been awarded TV
rights for Trinidad since 1986 and that it was normal practice
at the time for them to be provided for only a symbolic fee.
FIFA added that Warner's claims included "several
inaccuracies and falsehoods" and that the television rights
issue "had nothing to do with the 1998 or 2002 election
campaigns, or with any other election campaign.
"To imply the contrary is completely false," it said in a
statement.
Warner, who was CONCACAF president for 21 years, resigned
from all his football positions in June last year after he was
suspended by FIFA following allegations in a cash-for-votes
scandal in the run-up to the presidential election.
FAVOURABLE DEALS
The former powerbroker in the Caribbean on Friday stood by
his claims and said FIFA had ignored his comments about other
favourable deals.
"To choose to respond only to the allegation that FIFA sold
to me the FIFA World Cup Rights for Trinidad and Tobago for one
dollar in 1998 and refuse to even comment on the
other accusations that the FIFA World Cup Rights for 2002, 2006,
2010 and 2014 were also sold to me at a nominal fee is nothing
more than deception," he said in a statement on Friday.
"All of these were given to me based on the critical roles I
played in guaranteeing the FIFA presidency to Sepp Blatter,"
Warner added.
"FIFA must be aware of the fact that I still have in my
possession the contracts which were given to me, as well as
personal notes which were handwritten and signed that will
corroborate my accusations, and as such should be honest in its
reporting to the international community".
Warner cited one handwritten note from FIFA general
secretary Jerome Valcke but the context of the note was not
clear.
"The FIFA's decision, therefore, to selectively respond to
the accusations I have made against it and its president is both
disingenuous and dishonest," added Warner.
He said he had also been promised the rights to the 2018 and
2022 World Cups in return for his support for Blatter in the
2011 election but this was later revoked.
CUP RIGHTS
"FIFA... damns itself for withdrawing the said FIFA World
Cup rights for 2018 and 2022 after it was alleged that I refused
to support the presidency of Mr Blatter.
"These actions can stand alone as demonstrative of the fact
that there has been a relationship between the roles I played in
the success of Blatter's presidential campaigns and the award of
FIFA World Cup rights to me.
"Thankfully, the proceeds of the sale of these rights were
always used for regional development. It was never for personal
enrichment," he said.
FIFA declined to comment immediately on Warner's latest
statement when contacted by Reuters on Friday.
Warner has been heavily critical of Blatter since resigning
from CONCACAF after being accused of having organised a meeting
where Mohammed Bin Hammam, the former Asian Football
Confederation president from Qatar who was running against
Blatter for the presidency, was alleged to have distributed
$40,000 in brown envelopes to Caribbean football officials.
Bin Hammam, who like Warner has denied the allegations
against him, was banned for life from all football-related
activity.