Fifa chief wanted ‘favour’ from World Cup bid team
FIFA Vice president Jack Warner with England’s David Beckham after the soccer clinic
Jack Warner with David Beckham after a football clinic in Port of Spain in 2008 Michael Regan/Action Images
President of CONCACAF and FIFA Vice President Jack Warner (L) and FA Chairman Lord Triesman
Mr Warner with Lord Triesman, the FA chairman, in 2009 Frances Leader/Action Images
Owen Slot Chief Sports Reporter
Last updated April 11 2011 12:01AM
The leaders of England’s failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup were asked by one of Fifa’s most senior figures to pay for an education centre while negotiations were in progress, they have told The Times.
Jack Warner, the vice-president of football’s governing body, is said to have suggested the move during talks with Lord Triesman and Sir Dave Richards, then chairman and deputy chairman of England 2018.
They say that Mr Warner, who is president of the confederation that represents the Caribbean and north and central Americas, proposed that they pay for the facility in Trinidad and Tobago.
Lord Triesman and Sir Dave, two of the most senior administrators in English football at the time, have both confirmed details of the meeting at a hotel in Chelsea 18 months ago.
They said that their answer was a very swift “no”, realising that what Mr Warner was asking could leave them open to censure for breaching Fifa rules. Bidding nations are prohibited from offering gifts or other advantages to delegates.
Lord Triesman, who was also chairman of the Football Association at the time, has confirmed that the request was made within the context of a discussion about Mr Warner’s attitude to and his view of England 2018’s chances of success. Their answer, he said, was: “It was absolutely out of the question.”
However, when The Times put the claim to Mr Warner, he claimed that the meeting had never happened. “It is total nonsense and a fabrication,” he said. “I do not know what you are talking about.”
Mr Warner was one of the most influential figures on the Fifa executive committee that voted in Zurich in December on the destination of the 2018 World Cup. Owing to his position at Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football), he was seen to be controlling three of the twenty-two votes.
His backing was always thought to be crucial if England 2018’s bid was to have any chance of success. The meeting took place on October 7, 2009, in the business lounge of the Wyndham Grand hotel in Chelsea Harbour, where Mr Warner had been staying.
The men met in the late afternoon, after the first day of the Leaders in Football conference at Stamford Bridge. Mr Warner had been a conference speaker earlier in the day, and had also been publicly vocal in his criticism of the England bid, calling it “lightweight”.
Later, Lord Triesman and Sir Dave shared a taxi to the Wyndham Grand. They say it was then, over drinks, that Mr Warner asked for funds to build the education centre.
Sir Dave told The Times: “He didn’t say: ‘Do this and I’ll vote for you.’ But it was always at the back of my mind. I did nod my head at Triesman as if to say: Let’s not get into this.
“What he said was England should be building this kind of education block as a legacy throughout the world. He did say Trinidad and Tobago wanted one. He said it was an education set-up that he wanted for the children of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Sir Dave confirmed that he wanted no part of the discussion. “Look, I’ve heard these stories before so I wasn’t going to get into that. I never discussed this with the chairman of the FA again. I didn’t want to get involved in that sort of thing. I don’t know if the FA took it any further.”
Mr Warner insisted that nothing of the sort ever took place and even appeared not to know Lord Triesman’s name. “It is bullshit,” he said. “I don’t know what you are talking about. Why should I ask David Freestone [sic] or somebody for some offices here? Why should I? To do what? It doesn’t make sense.
“You guys are trying to dig up so much garbage. I say to you: you write what you want to write. It is bullshit.”
