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Offline E-man

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7:58 PM PST, January 15, 2006 latimes.com : Sports : Soccer
 
SPORTS EXTRA / SOCCER
In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere

By Grahame L. Jones, Times Staff Writer


Corruption, thy name is FIFA.

When it comes to scandal, soccer's world governing body leaves the International Olympic Committee looking like a choirboy, as pure as the driven snow that piles up at this time of year around FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
 
World Cup years are worse than others because the quadrennial tournament, apart from being a huge sporting event, is a financial cash cow of immensely bloated proportions. Opportunities abound for the greedy, the unscrupulous, and the unethical.

Not surprisingly in the Joseph "Sepp" Blatter era, FIFA's "for the good of the game" leadership jumps at the chance.

It was only last month that Urs Linsi, FIFA's general secretary, said in Leipzig, Germany, that the 2006 World Cup would generate $1.7 billion — most of it from television and sponsors — and would be the most profitable in history.

It comes as no great shock, therefore, that the stench of cronyism and conflict of interest is rising from several locales, not least of them Port of Spain, Trinidad, as the scramble for World Cup tickets intensifies.

In Port of Spain, Jack Warner, a FIFA vice president, president of soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF) region and a "special advisor" to the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF), is up to his neck fending off accusations of questionable ethics.

Again. Just as he had to do in 2001.

A three-part investigative series by journalist Lasana Liburd of the Trinidad Express has revealed that Warner and his family own a company, Simpaul Travel Services Limited, that bought Trinidad and Tobago's entire allocation of World Cup tickets from the country's soccer federation.

Simpaul, the Express wrote, stands to make millions of dollars, not off individual ticket sales but rather by selling packages that include accommodations and tickets for all three of Trinidad and Tobago's three first-round matches, against Sweden, England and Paraguay. At prices far above what might be expected.

"Soca Warrior" fans have no choice. It's the package or nothing.

Tickets that FIFA priced at $360 and $214 are being sold, by Simpaul, for $4,875, Liburd wrote "with the addition of lodging for 12 days in Germany and a national flag, replica shirt and wristband" but "exclusive of airfare and ground transport."

Depending on how many tickets they have — no one will reveal the number — "the Warners could be $50 million [U.S. $8 million] richer from ticket sales alone," Liburd calculated.

When the Express asked "whether it was ethical for the country's ticket allocation to be diverted to Warner's private company," neither Oliver Camps, the TTFF president, nor Warner would comment, the newspaper said.

"Do you know who the owner of Simpaul is?" it quoted Camps as saying. "Let us not go there."

Warner, meanwhile, was even more dismissive.

"You write what you want to write," he told Liburd. "I have nothing to discuss with you."

Once the series was published, however, and once the Trinidad and Tobago government had threatened to step in and sort matters out, Warner, his ego flaring, was much more forthcoming.

"It is not a crime to be successful, even for people like me," he said, pompous as ever, adding that no one should "attempt to impute improper business practices and conflicts of interest to me."

The Express series, he claimed, was "part of a well-timed, carefully orchestrated character assassination, designed to devalue any political currency which opponents ... feel I might have been developing as a result of the Soca Warriors' World Cup qualification alongside my own efforts within the United National Congress to unify the party and country."

In the same Jan. 3 news conference, Warner said he believed "the intention of the articles is to change the reference point of Jack Warner in the minds of the public, or more importantly, the electorate. It was designed to sully the Warner name and to reframe the recent achievements I have yearned and struggled for over many years in the football arena."

Aside from being a grammatical shambles, such comments are not only self-serving but absurd.

In Warner's eyes, it's all a conspiracy designed to thwart his political ambitions, not a matter of ethics at all. Why shouldn't a FIFA vice president snap up all his country's World Cup tickets and make a financial killing?

With soccer fans in Trinidad and Tobago up in arms over what they perceive as unfair practices and price gouging, Patrick Manning, the country's prime minister, was forced to step in.

Sports minister Roger Boynes said the government would try to buy tickets from the federation — even though no more supposedly are available — and would arrange charter flights for fans on the national airline.

Such is the arrogance of FIFA's leaders that Warner brushed this aside.

"No government in the world can intervene in FIFA's business," he said, "and that's the bottom line. Mr. Manning represents the government of Trinidad and Tobago. FIFA doesn't deal with governments."

As the Express pointed out, this is not the first time that Warner has enriched himself off a FIFA event.

"Warner similarly cashed in," it said, when Trinidad and Tobago played host to the 2001 FIFA Under-17 World Championship. "Then, his companies controlled exclusive contracts to supply air tickets to all competing foreign teams as well as catering and IT [communication] deals for all the stadiums."

This is the man who presides over CONCACAF, the 38-member regional soccer confederation of which the United States, Canada and Mexico are a part.

As long as Warner can deliver CONCACAF's votes to his good pal Blatter, FIFA's equally insufferable president, no one in Zurich is going to question the way he is lining his pockets.

Meanwhile, have U.S. Soccer, Soccer Canada or the Mexican Football Federation, the region's supposed powers and presumptive molar leaders, ever raised a squawk about the ethics or lack thereof within CONCACAF?

Have the American companies — Anheuser Busch, Coca-Cola, Gillette, Mastercard, McDonald's — that give tens of millions of sponsorship dollars to FIFA ever questioned how that money is being used or misused? Not a chance.

They just go along with it all.

If soccer itself can't or won't clean up its act, if governments supposedly are powerless to intervene, then perhaps the way to accomplish change is through the sponsors.

Money is all that matters to FIFA's elect, so if fans can turn off the financial tap by boycotting or at least pressuring FIFA's sponsors, soccer might eventually be able to rid itself of those who currently infest its highest reaches.

For the real good of the game.

Offline Trinimassive

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2006, 10:58:28 PM »
All of this is just shameful and is already overtaking the accomplishment of what the players did. I would not be surprised if all of this is mentioned over and over again in every match we play in Germany.
Also won't be surprised if Jack is somehow forced to resign from his post at a minimum after the World Cup.
I just hope all this crap does not distract the team.
« Last Edit: January 15, 2006, 11:02:19 PM by Trinimassive »

truetrini

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2006, 11:03:55 PM »
hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:

All the Jack defenders could jump in ah lake ah FIFA (shit)!

de man is ah crooked business man and he pardners ta the FIFA mafia is de same.

Ah notice ah lot ah de Jack fuh de Trinity Cross campaign gorn missing?

Allyuh lorse allyuh net or what?

and den dey have some who changing dey tune as de trute comes out..not from me and others here becasue we jes haters and sour grapes fellas...but from de world at large now.

Jack right, trinis doh love dey own.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!  I living tuh see de day yes!

everytime Jack talk is pure falsiloquence or mendaciloquence  pure deceit and lies!
« Last Edit: January 15, 2006, 11:36:45 PM by truetrini »

Offline ballfever

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2006, 04:08:53 AM »
hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:

All the Jack defenders could jump in ah lake ah FIFA (shit)!

de man is ah crooked business man and he pardners ta the FIFA mafia is de same.

Ah notice ah lot ah de Jack fuh de Trinity Cross campaign gorn missing?

Allyuh lorse allyuh net or what?

and den dey have some who changing dey tune as de trute comes out..not from me and others here becasue we jes haters and sour grapes fellas...but from de world at large now.

Jack right, trinis doh love dey own.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!  I living tuh see de day yes!

everytime Jack talk is pure falsiloquence or mendaciloquence pure deceit and lies!
Associated Press, L.A Times an God alone knows who else in d international media is all some people goh listen to TT. men right here apparently not credible enough fuh dem to take on...buh say wha?let dem support d empire at dey own peril...who ha eye to see done see arready.
btw...put a link to a dictionary when yuh intend to edify we wid dem wud dey nah? ;D ;D ;D
if yuh check mih heart in mih chest, mix up wit d'red blood, it have a black & white stripe somewhere in dey!.....long b4 foot ball,durin' world cup and after..T&T FOREVER! WE COUNTRY, WE SPIRIT,WE VIBES! WARRIOR NATION!

Offline NYtriniwhiteboy..

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2006, 09:35:05 AM »
hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:hahahahaha :rotfl: :rotfl:

All the Jack defenders could jump in ah lake ah FIFA (shit)!

de man is ah crooked business man and he pardners ta the FIFA mafia is de same.

Ah notice ah lot ah de Jack fuh de Trinity Cross campaign gorn missing?

Allyuh lorse allyuh net or what?

and den dey have some who changing dey tune as de trute comes out..not from me and others here becasue we jes haters and sour grapes fellas...but from de world at large now.

Jack right, trinis doh love dey own.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!  I living tuh see de day yes!

everytime Jack talk is pure falsiloquence or mendaciloquence pure deceit and lies!

Boy truetrini yuh mussa smile to bad wen u see dat article..i knew u had to be one of the first to reply
Back in Trini...

Offline Bakes

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2006, 10:10:42 AM »
Shame upon crying shame.  I seriously doubt that anything will come of this as far as FIFA is concerned, unfortunately I don't think that there is anything that Jack did that is illegal.  That being the case FIFA is likely to ignore the matter in hopes that it just dies and withers away.

truetrini

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2006, 10:21:03 AM »
Shame upon crying shame.  I seriously doubt that anything will come of this as far as FIFA is concerned, unfortunately I don't think that there is anything that Jack did that is illegal.  That being the case FIFA is likely to ignore the matter in hopes that it just dies and withers away.

Anywhere in the world with laws, his unethcial business dealings would have been illegal and investigated.

He has backed down now.  VCheck Simpauls and see that they are just offering packages without tickets.

Why the sudden change?

Maybe FIFA quietly told him to cease and desist?

Or the pressure just got him exposed so he has covered his exposed dealings?

Man come on..the man took the TTFF tickets..mind you he is not even part of the TTFF executive...and was planning to sell them exclusive;y through his company.

The president of the TTFF said he did not know Jack was involved with Simpauls yet Jack arranged all the TTFF travels at a supposedly discounted rate to the TTFF for many years????   Mr. Baptiste also ststed that he did not know that jack was involved with Simpauls..yuh beleive that shit?

If dat eh skulduggery den what is fella?

Dat is crim inal anywhere in de world dat have laws.  maybe T&T so damn backward man could do dat shit and get away all de time..when de f**k it go stop?

Offline Bakes

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2006, 10:35:12 AM »
Shame upon crying shame.  I seriously doubt that anything will come of this as far as FIFA is concerned, unfortunately I don't think that there is anything that Jack did that is illegal.  That being the case FIFA is likely to ignore the matter in hopes that it just dies and withers away.

Anywhere in the world with laws, his unethcial business dealings would have been illegal and investigated.

He has backed down now.  VCheck Simpauls and see that they are just offering packages without tickets.

Why the sudden change?

Maybe FIFA quietly told him to cease and desist?

Or the pressure just got him exposed so he has covered his exposed dealings?

Man come on..the man took the TTFF tickets..mind you he is not even part of the TTFF executive...and was planning to sell them exclusive;y through his company.

The president of the TTFF said he did not know Jack was involved with Simpauls yet Jack arranged all the TTFF travels at a supposedly discounted rate to the TTFF for many years????   Mr. Baptiste also ststed that he did not know that jack was involved with Simpauls..yuh beleive that shit?

If dat eh skulduggery den what is fella?

Dat is crim inal anywhere in de world dat have laws.  maybe T&T so damn backward man could do dat shit and get away all de time..when de f**k it go stop?

Pardna, read my post again.  I not defending Jack, all I saying is that there is a big difference between unscrupulous and unethical behavior and criminal behavior.  Jack didn't thief and he didn't blackmail or kill nobody, what he did was to abuse his influence within FIFA to line his own pockets.  To insist that what he did is somehow criminal is to reveal one's ignorance of the law.

Unfortunately the pessimist in me won't let me believe that FIFA will care too much once the talk dies down.

Offline pardners

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2006, 10:42:52 AM »
I heard that a couple people investigating whether what Jack and TTFF do was illegal.  There are serious codes of conduct that NGO's and the likes MUST adhere to...particularly when supported by the Gov't.
TTFF as like all other national sporting bodies does receive part funding from the Gov't.  A lot will depend on the actual contracts that were signed between Jack and TTFF...and whether there is evidence of abuse of the procedures for ITB's (Intention To Bid).  The leaders in the business community might not want to take up the issue too much, because is only dem self who could afford the tickets anyway...just to keep away the plebs like we...
"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."        Every once in while a good post does come along.

truetrini

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2006, 10:48:04 AM »
Shame upon crying shame.  I seriously doubt that anything will come of this as far as FIFA is concerned, unfortunately I don't think that there is anything that Jack did that is illegal.  That being the case FIFA is likely to ignore the matter in hopes that it just dies and withers away.

Anywhere in the world with laws, his unethcial business dealings would have been illegal and investigated.

He has backed down now.  VCheck Simpauls and see that they are just offering packages without tickets.

Why the sudden change?

Maybe FIFA quietly told him to cease and desist?

Or the pressure just got him exposed so he has covered his exposed dealings?

Man come on..the man took the TTFF tickets..mind you he is not even part of the TTFF executive...and was planning to sell them exclusive;y through his company.

The president of the TTFF said he did not know Jack was involved with Simpauls yet Jack arranged all the TTFF travels at a supposedly discounted rate to the TTFF for many years????   Mr. Baptiste also ststed that he did not know that jack was involved with Simpauls..yuh beleive that shit?

If dat eh skulduggery den what is fella?

Dat is crim inal anywhere in de world dat have laws.  maybe T&T so damn backward man could do dat shit and get away all de time..when de f**k it go stop?

Pardna, read my post again.  I not defending Jack, all I saying is that there is a big difference between unscrupulous and unethical behavior and criminal behavior.  Jack didn't thief and he didn't blackmail or kill nobody, what he did was to abuse his influence within FIFA to line his own pockets.  To insist that what he did is somehow criminal is to reveal one's ignorance of the law.

Unfortunately the pessimist in me won't let me believe that FIFA will care too much once the talk dies down.

breds I know yuh eh defending jack...ah read posts yuh make areaddy.  I  was just pointing out that anywhere else in de world dat kinda shit not only unethical it also illegal..what make it not illegal I want tuh know.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2006, 10:59:25 AM by truetrini »

Offline arrow

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #10 on: January 16, 2006, 10:49:42 AM »
Pardna, read my post again. I not defending Jack, all I saying is that there is a big difference between unscrupulous and unethical behavior and criminal behavior. Jack didn't thief and he didn't blackmail or kill nobody, what he did was to abuse his influence within FIFA to line his own pockets. To insist that what he did is somehow criminal is to reveal one's ignorance of the law.
Unfortunately the pessimist in me won't let me believe that FIFA will care too much once the talk dies down.


I guess stealing, blackmail and killing are the only 3 illiegal activities then.  As of today corporate fraud is no longer illegal!  Jack is totally innocent and so are the ex-CEOs of Enron, WorldCom, Martha Stewart etc.

truetrini

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #11 on: January 16, 2006, 11:01:54 AM »
arrow..we know it is illegal and yuh eh ahve tuh be no lawyer tuh know dat.

de man take TTFF tickets and start tuh sell dam.  den when he get ketch with he hand in de cookis jar he say he pay 500,00 TT fuh de rights.

when he get ketch and get ask how he get dat contract and if odder companies get tuh bid..he say he eh using TTFF tickets is from ah European tour company and he pay 556,000euros fuh dem.

Now he eh even selling tickets in he package ah guess de euro company eh selling tickets again.

steups.


Offline Bakes

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2006, 11:23:19 AM »
Pardna, read my post again. I not defending Jack, all I saying is that there is a big difference between unscrupulous and unethical behavior and criminal behavior. Jack didn't thief and he didn't blackmail or kill nobody, what he did was to abuse his influence within FIFA to line his own pockets. To insist that what he did is somehow criminal is to reveal one's ignorance of the law.
Unfortunately the pessimist in me won't let me believe that FIFA will care too much once the talk dies down.


I guess stealing, blackmail and killing are the only 3 illiegal activities then.  As of today corporate fraud is no longer illegal!  Jack is totally innocent and so are the ex-CEOs of Enron, WorldCom, Martha Stewart etc.

I coulda go on and list all the list of transgressions in the TnT civil code if I so desired...and none of them would have said Jack was guilty of anything illegal nor fraudulent.  Enron, WorldCom, Martha Stewart et al...corporate fraud and insider trading...so leh we scratch Martha Stewart and focus on corporate fraud part.  Jack ent part ah de TTFF and even if he was I don't think him selling tickets would have been illegal.  Note again, because some ah allyuh seem slow...I not condoning it, but as black people we quick tuh make ah bunch of noise and not say anything.  Enron and WorldCom are different situations b/c the executives raided the pension plans of employees or hid costs to artificially inflate the value of company stocks while they secretly dumped their shares and/or secured their own golden parachutes.

I really don't see the need to even discuss this angle since it really doesn't apply.

arrow..we know it is illegal and yuh eh ahve tuh be no lawyer tuh know dat.

de man take TTFF tickets and start tuh sell dam.  den when he get ketch with he hand in de cookis jar he say he pay 500,00 TT fuh de rights.

when he get ketch and get ask how he get dat contract and if odder companies get tuh bid..he say he eh using TTFF tickets is from ah European tour company and he pay 556,000euros fuh dem.

Now he eh even selling tickets in he package ah guess de euro company eh selling tickets again.

steups.



And none of what you say contravenes the laws of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  In our haste to throw the book at Jack...let's at least focus on charges that could actually stick, minus the theatrics of making Sound absent of Fury.

Offline arrow

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2006, 07:52:20 AM »
you mean the actions of Jeff Skilling and Jack Warner were not exactly the same??   :o Brilliant insight and thanks for clearing that up!
« Last Edit: January 18, 2006, 07:53:54 AM by arrow »

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2006, 11:17:09 AM »
you mean the actions of Jeff Skilling and Jack Warner were not exactly the same??   :o Brilliant insight and thanks for clearing that up!

Boss...you is de only one here likening the actions of one tuh de other, so you could rock so wid dat dotishness right dey.

truetrini

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Re: LA Times: In a World Cup Year, There Must Be a Scandal Somewhere
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2006, 05:43:32 PM »
you mean the actions of Jeff Skilling and Jack Warner were not exactly the same??   :o Brilliant insight and thanks for clearing that up!

Boss...you is de only one here likening the actions of one tuh de other, so you could rock so wid dat dotishness right dey.

breds me eh knowwhy yuh carrying on so?  Like me and arrow is JAck and Ollie..steups who piss in yuh cork flakes (ah eh know if yuh is ah wheaties man)?

Jack's actions if not illegal are highly unethical.

I understand that you are not condoning his behaviours..so no need to get offensive.  I could play dat game real good.

JAck is corrupt, he lied about the tickets, he lied about tickets before in 89..or yuh wans't followinf footbal back den?

Jes chill, all ah we angry about dis ting.

Cool?

 

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