World Cup bonus hearing set for April.
By: Lasana Liburd (Express).
The infamous 2006 World Cup pact, drawn up by FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser Jack Warner and agreed to by the 23 Germany-bound "Soca Warriors", will come under scrutiny on April 28, 29 and 30 when the two parties meet with the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel in London.
Lawyers for both sides met with arbitrator, English Queen's Counsel Ian Mill, in London on Wednesday for the second and final procedural arrangement before the formal hearing, which should determine whether there is a contract and what revenue falls under its purview.
Crucially, even if the Warriors are adjudged to be due half of all "World Cup generated revenue", April's hearing is unlikely to determine exactly how much they are owed as the financial aspect of the legal matter-according to a source-is considered too complicated to be dealt with in such a speedy manner.
One financial detail that might be analysed in April, though, is the distribution of a $30 million (7 million Swiss Francs) bounty which FIFA gave to every 2006 World Cup finalist. Warner initially claimed that the FIFA handout was subject to heavy taxation.
"The (Trinidad and Tobago) Federation will get a little more than three million Swiss Francs," said Warner, at a press conference in January 2006. "The fact is the German government taxes 21 per cent of the money. Then, they take five per cent for insurance and therefore what you get in your hand is 74 per cent."
German Finance Minister Oskar La Fontaine, German Local Organising Committee press spokesman Gerd Grauss and then FIFA media chief Andreas Herren all denied Warner's assertion when approached by the Express.
It might be the first of many financial questions put to Warner and the T&TFF if the London arbitrator decides in favour of the players.
T&TFF general secretary Richard Groden claimed that the local body received $18,255,952 for its German campaign and further whittled the figure to $950,403.49 after expenses. But the Trinidad and Tobago government, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, revealed, last August, that the T&TFF's income was in excess of $173 million. The disparity between financial statements is at the crux of the most high-profile legal battle to hit local sport.
