WARNER WARNS OF REVELATIONS TO COME

FIFA is like a rotting apple.

No matter where you cut there is evidence of that rot and the only thing that you can eventually do it throw it out. FIFA is currently investigating whether Asian Confederation President Mohammed Bin Hammamm paid officials of the Caribbean Football Union US$40,000 each during a meeting convened in Trinidad in early May this year.

The CFU officials had 48 hours, which ran out on Wednesday, to submit statements indicating their version of events that occurred between May 10 and 11, when Bin Hammamm met to convey his manifesto to 25 delegates during what he hoped was going to be a successful challenge to the presidency of Joseph Sepp Blatter. The challenge failed Bim Hammamm was banned for offering bribes and former CFU president Jack Warner suspended for, I suppose, facilitating Bin Hammamm’s intentions.

What I find interesting is that accusations were made that Blatter had also offered US$1 million to CFU officials and expensive laptops to Caribbean officials and no one seems to be investigating that? Blatter has also faced similar allegations in the past. Farra Ado of the African Confederation claimed back in 2002 that he was paid US$100,000.00 to vote for Blatter when the latter first came to power back in 1998.

Jack Warner this week indicated that there was more to come with regards to this money-for-votes scandal that has rocked FIFA since early May. Warner was once close to Blatter and benefitted from that association for many years but clearly now that situation has changed. Bin Hammamm also was once close to Blatter and he, too, is no longer. Now it seems that before they were both booted by the FIFA Ethics Committee, the two gentlemen had found common ground.

This is where CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer comes in. It was he who blew the whistle on Bin Hammamm and accused Warner of complicity. Was this a move for the United States to gain control of regional football by limiting Warner’s influence and possibly positioning himself to make a run for the FIFA presidency when Blatter’s final term comes to an end? Blazer himself, has been accused of paying himself bonuses of about US$9.6 million and perhaps there are even more skeletons in his closet.

I say all this to suggest that no one inside FIFA seems to be clean with every action seeming to be associated with some hidden agenda. If Warner is to be believed these hidden agendas will soon be coming to light. He sounded like a man who knows a lot and can reveal a lot. For the many years he was close to Blatter, Warner benefitted from the association. Trinidad landed the Under-19 World Cup, Warner also benefitted by the sale of tickets for that tournament, he was also sold the broadcast rights for a dollar and then turned around and sold those rights for millions of dollars – or so it is believed.

Through all these accusations, he emerged unscathed mainly through Blatter’s support. Now that the cloak of invincibility has been removed, Warner who resigned from his posts in FIFA is claiming all will be revealed soon  enough. It’s just a matter of time.

We wait with bated breath.