Warners mum on FIFA fine.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).Twist to Simpaul scandal.The Warner family was again embroiled in controversy yesterday after a leaked document revealed that former Simpaul Travel Service director Daryan Warner, son of FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) special adviser Jack Warner, has less than two weeks to pay FIFA a $754,375 euros (TT$6,223,394) fine.
No explanation was given as to the origin of the figure, which was decided upon but not publicised at an executive committee meeting on June 4, 2006, although it is likely to be a backlash for Simpaul Travel's profiteering off Trinidad and Tobago's 2006 World Cup tickets despite the company's conflict of interest. FIFA president Sepp Blatter, according to minutes from the FIFA executive committee meeting on December 6, 2006, did inform his colleagues that US$250,000 (TT$1,562,500) was already paid towards the Simpaul fine, which would be forwarded to the SOS Children's Village charity.
The US$250,000 sum mirrors the annual FIFA developmental grant which the global body forwards to its member associations, including Trinidad and Tobago.
Last week Tuesday, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) declared that it had shut down all football teams with immediate effect "due to a lack of financial support". T&TFF general secretary Richard Groden blamed the Government for his organisation's hardships.
T&TFF president Oliver Camps confirmed via telephone yesterday that his organisation receives an annual US$250,000 grant, although he declined further comment about the financial state of the local body.
Neither Jack nor Daryan Warner could be reached for comment yesterday, while a Simpaul official, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed that she was in the dark about the alleged fine.
"I cannot give you any information concerning that," said the Simpaul official. "I do not know anything about it."
News of the secret fine was published yesterday by London's Daily Mail investigative reporter and author, Andrew Jennings, who visited Trinidad and Tobago last May as part of a BBC Panorama News team and is another follow-up on the Simpaul Travel ticket scandal, which was broken exclusively by the Trinidad Express on December 25, 2005.
FIFA's Committee for Ethics and Fair Play convicted Warner of breaching FIFA's Code of Ethics on February 16, 2006 due to his involvement with Simpaul. Warner along with his wife, Maureen, and sons, Daryan and Darryl, were all Simpaul Travel directors.
But, a month later, Warner was absolved by his executive committee colleagues, who suggested that the administrator corrected the situation by removing himself and his family's names off the directorship of the company.
There was another potentially damaging report to Warner by international accounting firm, Ernst and Young, who ruled that Daryan continued to operate on behalf of Simpaul and he, along with his father, had contravened FIFA regulations regarding the sale of World Cup tickets.
On December 6, 2006, a third FIFA committee-the Disciplinary Committee-chided Warner for his "conduct" and warned him to "ensure that his son, Daryan Warner, did not abuse (his) position" but again opted not to publicly penalise its own vice-president.
Disciplinary Committee chairman Marcel Mathier further declared that FIFA could not take action against Daryan since "he did not fall under FIFA's jurisdiction".
However, FIFA did not tell the global media that "Simpaul Travel and/or Daryan Warner" was ordered to reimburse the global governing body $754,375 euros (TT$6,223,394) and had not complied with the request "despite numerous reminders by FIFA".
Camps denied that the US$250,000, referred to by Blatter, meant that FIFA had frozen its funding to the T&TFF.
Daryan has until March 22, which is the next meeting date of FIFA's executive, to finish payment, although the Daily Mail was told that no further action was expected regardless.
Blatter is running for re-election this May and Warner, a staunch supporter of the present president, controls 35 of the 207 votes available.
"If there is no more money paid over I can't see that Blatter is going to take action," a FIFA source told the Daily Mail. "After all, Jack Warner controls 35 crucial votes that will ensure Sepp Blatter gets a third term."
It is uncertain what Warner's financial situation might mean for the "Soca Warriors".
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