Tsunami coming? - Warner plans telling revelation on FIFA corruption today

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Austion 'Jack' Warner has promised that he will reveal the details of corruption within FIFA that would "turn stomachs", perhaps finally delivering his vow two months ago that he would unleash a tsunami on the shady dealings of the world governing body of football.

The former FIFA vice-president said in a letter to the Trinidad Guardian newspaper yesterday that he will speak out also about his role in the sport's world governing body and the changes he sought while he served on the executive committee.

"FIFA has tried to muzzle me with threats of a worldwide suspension," he wrote.

"They have said that they will close down the FIFA Development Office in Trinidad by year end. They have advised that they will terminate my son's 2012 contract at the end of this year. They have retaken the World Cup TV rights, a matter for which they have not heard the last. They have refused to give me any of my 29-year pension. They continue to do such things like revealing a video in the hope that they can embarrass me to lie down on my belly."

He asserted: "Never, I repeat, never, regardless of the consequences."

Warner, the former CFU and CONCACAF president, seemed to have been incensed by the release last Thursday of a video recording in which he told CFU officials it was acceptable to receive payments from candidate Mohamed Bin Hammam ahead of the election for FIFA resident last June.

His comments came just three days after FIFA handed down a swathe of suspensions and reprimands to Caribbean Football Union officials over the cash-for-votes scandal that prompted Warner's resignation and the world body to impose a life ban on Bin Hammam.

"I will talk about the bitter elections for the FIFA presidency in 1998, when Sepp Blatter faced his most telling rival in Lennart Johansson," wrote Warner.

"We took him on a worldwide crusade begging for support for him, and he won."

Warner added: "That was the first time I met the present deputy chairman of FIFA Ethics Committee, Petrus Damaseb, at the time, the president of the Namibia FA.

"I will tell the world what gift Bin Hammam gave to him then, which was not a bribe then as he has ruled today."

Warner, the Trinidad and Tobago Minister of Works and Infrastructure, also disclosed that he never knew what Blatter's salary was during his time at FIFA.

"In spite of serving on the finance committee for over eight years, I was never able to determine the quantum of money given to him for the office of FIFA president," wrote Warner.

Warner also accused FIFA of institutional racism. He noted that Joao Havelange was the only non-European to rise to the seat of power in the game.

"I will reveal the circumstances under which I told Blatter that blackness in football must not be only on the field of play but also on the field of the FIFA administration," Warner said.

"I will talk about the Zionism, which probably is the most important reason why this acrid attack on Bin Hammam and me was mounted."

Warner also wrote: "Three (FIFA presidents) were English, one was Belgium, the incumbent is Swiss and two were French. Is it that people of colour cannot administer football? Or is it that only Europeans possess the skill to do so? Is this why Platini is being groomed as heir apparent?

"For the last FIFA election, the last count before the election showed that Blatter had 90 votes and Bin Hammam had 85 in a 209 FIFA membership."

The newspaper said it would carry Warner's disclosure letter in Today's edition.

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Tsunami coming? - Warner plans telling revelation on FIFA corruption today