FIFA DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE: WARNER DIDN'T BREAK RULES
from TTFF media
The FIFA disciplinary committee recommended on Wednesday that no action be taken against Vice President Jack Warner over allegations that he illegally sold thousands of tickets during the 2006 Germany World Cup.
Disciplinary committee chairman Marcel Mathier told the news conference following that there was "no concrete evidence" that Warner knew about the resale of World Cup tickets by his son Daryan Warner through Jack Warner's former travel company Simpaul.
This news conference followed a FIFA Executive Committee Meeting at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on Tuesday and Wednesday under the chairmanship of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter.
Warner was not present at the news conference. He had "accepted the unanimous decision of the Executive Committee", Blatter said.
However, the Trinidadian CONCACAF President later commented when contacted at his hotel in Zurich where he arrived at on the weekend .
“I have been vindicated today by the FIFA Executive Committee as I had always expected for, as I have said from the inception, that I had committed no offence. I am happy that my record making 24 consecutive years in the FIFA Executive Committee today remains unblemished,” Warner stated.
“ I know that, especially in my country, there will be those who will be disappointed with the results of the FIFA investigation and its decision and will no doubt make other attempts to tarnish my character and good name. This is indeed very unfortunate but I promise to be forever vigilant in the struggle against personal, vindictive and political attacks against me being confident that, in the end, good shall always over come evil.
“I wish to thank all those persons and organisations who, over the past months, have kept faith in my integrity and I refer here - especially to my family, my staff, my friends both at home and abroad and to my political Party - the United National Congress,” Warner concluded.
Among the other topics discussed at the news conference were: the ratification of the Emergency Committee's decisions concerning the suspensions of Kenya and Iran; reports on the activities of the Task Force for the Good of the Game working groups; the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in South Africa: competition dates, slots for the final competition, preliminary competitions in the confederations and the preliminary draw in 2007; the bidding procedure for the 2014 FIFA World Cupâ; the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and the 57th FIFA Congress 2007 in Zurich.
FIFA had opened its investigation into Warner's activities in September, following allegations that he had personally profited from the resale of 180 World Cup tickets, contrary to FIFA's own ticketing rules. At the enquiry, it had been revealed that Warner had returned to the FIFA as early as March 15, 2006, his original stock of 250 tickets which had been given to him as a FIFA Vice President, advising the FIFA Secretariat then that he wanted no tickets of any kind.
The matter was first brought to FIFA's attention following two separate investigations by auditors Ernst & Young in April and July
"The committee expressed its disapproval...drawing attention to the fact that Mr Warner should be more cautious and prudent," Blatter told the news conference on Wednesday.
"That is all there is to say in relation to this affair and we now consider the case closed."
Blatter said the executive committee had made its decision after hearing a report from FIFA's disciplinary committee. Warner returns home on December 15 and now departs for Tokyo to oversee the World Club Championship
