Jack Warner Busted - AGAIN !

[Winnipeg Fury]

When the hell is CONCACAF going to do something about this crook ?

FIFA chief's World Cup ticket scam.

By: Daily Mail.

One of FIFA’s most senior figures secretly set up deals to sell thousands of World Cup tickets worth millions of pounds — including 900 destined for England fans — on the black market, Sportsmail can reveal.

Vice-president Jack Warner flagrantly defied FIFA’s rules, but confidential auditors’ reports exposing his activities before and during the tournament have been suppressed.

Sportsmail has acquired the confidential reports produced for FIFA by auditors Ernst & Young revealing how Warner was allowed to amass a fortune trading in tickets for Germany 2006.

One report estimated he and son Daryan cleared a profit of at least £500,000 on 5,400 tickets for England, Mexico and Japan matches The lenient treatment of Warner — who controls 35 crucial votes that keep FIFA president Sepp Blatter in power — contrasts starkly with the fate of fellow executive committee member Ismail Bhamjee in June.

Caught selling a dozen World Cup tickets to English fans, Bhamjee was instantly expelled.

Kevin Miles, international co-ordinator for the Football Supporters’ Federation, said: ‘The black market in tickets was the big scandal at this World Cup. There is growing evidence that this corruption goes to the heart of FIFA.

‘Every ticket on the black market is a ticket that has been initially supplied by FIFA to someoneONE of FIFA’s most senior figures secretly set up deals to sell thousands of World Cup tickets worth millions of pounds — including 900 destined for England fans — on the black market, Sportsmail can reveal.

Vice-president Jack Warner flagrantly defied FIFA’s rules, but confidential auditors’ reports exposing his activities before and during the tournament have been suppressed.

Sportsmail has acquired the confidential reports produced for FIFA by auditors Ernst & Young revealing how Warner was allowed to amass a fortune trading in tickets for Germany 2006.

One report estimated he and son Daryan cleared a profit of at least £500,000 on 5,400 tickets for England, Mexico and Japan matches.

The lenient treatment of Warner — who controls 35 crucial votes that keep FIFA president Sepp Blatter in power — contrasts starkly with the fate of fellow executive committee member Ismail Bhamjee in June.

Caught selling a dozen World Cup tickets to English fans, Bhamjee was instantly expelled.

Kevin Miles, international co-ordinator for the Football Supporters’ Federation, said: ‘The black market in tickets was the big scandal at this World Cup. There is growing evidence that this corruption goes to the heart of FIFA.

‘Every ticket on the black market is a ticket that has been initially supplied by FIFA to someone more interested in making money than watching football. This parasitic profiteering at the expense of genuine fans has got to stop.’

The Warners began operations in June 2005, using their private Simpaul travel company in Trinidad to strike secret deals to sell thousands of packages of rooms and tickets to agents around the world.

FIFA turned a blind eye but were forced to act when the Trinidad media revealed last December that Warner charged huge mark-ups on Simpaul ticket-and-room packages.

FIFA’s ethics committee criticised Warner’s ticket deals, concluding he had abused his position to obtain personal benefits and failed to declare his business interests.

But in March the executive committee absolved him after he claimed he had severed connections with Simpaul.

In fact, Daryan Warner continued as managing director of Simpaul and Jack Warner’s personal assistant Patricia Modeste, who gave her address as Warner’s office in Port of Spain, remained company secretary.

Through Simpaul, the Warners secretly sold ‘England Packages’ to David Gambier of the Abingdon-based Sports World Group, guaranteeing 900 tickets for England’s first-round matches. Another deal was struck with Miami-based Soccer Travel to supply 1,500 tickets for Mexico’s initial games.

Then Simpaul contracted to supply an astonishing 3,000 tickets for Japan’s first three matches. Hotel rooms were booked through Florida-based Kick Sports Inc — who ordered additional tickets to sell in Europe. These middlemen began taking advances from customers as early as November 2005. Finally, the Warners struck another profitable deal to supply £1.7m worth of hotel rooms in Germany.

Ernst & Young obtained Daryan’s emails confirming details of various deals, all copied to his father.

Warner’s demands for tickets became so outrageous that the Manchester-based Byrom company, operators of FIFA’s ticket office, tipped off Ernst & Young, who had been appointed to monitor potentially suspicious deals.

Two Ernst & Young accountants twice interviewed Warner Jnr but he scoffed at their requests for detailed information required by the FIFA-Simpaul contract and said he would refuse to hand over documents.

Again FIFA took no action.

The auditors were called in again on June 20 when Swiss travel agent Antonio Gallicchio turned up at FIFA’s Berlin hotel, complaining he had not received all the 100 euro tickets that he was paying 400 euros for.

He revealed that on June 14 Warner Jnr collected 180 tickets, ordered by his father, from FIFA’s ticket office in Berlin and immediately handed them to Kick Sports.

The huge volume of tickets demanded by Warner rang alarm bells in FIFA’s ticket office and a further Ernst & Young report submitted on July 8 to FIFA listed another 292 tickets ordered and paid for by Warner Snr, then resold at huge profits.

They concluded: ‘Tickets (bought by) Jack Warner were transferred or resold into the secondary market in breach of 2006 World Cup ticketing general terms and conditions.’ Yet again FIFA did not act.

Warner Snr submitted a further demand for an astonishing 1,245 tickets for second-round matches. It was not fulfilled.

Four years ago Sportsmail alleged that Warner Snr had made a $350,000 profit selling World Cup tickets in 2002.

Last night, FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren declined to reveal how many tickets Warner Snr ordered or received or explain why the audit reports had been kept secret for so long. Herren claimed the matter would be discussed at this Friday’s executive committee meeting in Zurich at the request of Jack Warner — although there is no mention of it on the agenda published last Zurich at the request of Jack Warner — although there is no mention of it on the agenda published last week.

The confidential FIFA Ethics committee report on Warner plus two critical reports submitted by Ernst & Young can be downloaded at: www.transparencyinsport.org

week.

[bettermirror]

can this not bring up criminal charges? while unlikely, it must mean a removal from a position of power in this sport.

[shaku_bert]

unbelievable.

[Daniel]

The only people who can destitute him are the heads at FIFA and they've profited from him too much to do so. Jack Warner is a crook, of the small-time variety, but with access to huge amounts and properties. He brought it random people to vote in place of absent Haiti at at least 2 FIFA councils. He has constantly redirected all funds for events and infrastructure to himself, his family or business he controls. The other people who can stop him are the CONCACAF countries, but the small island countries who control power in the region have benefited too much from him to do that.

http://www.concacafcentre.co.tt/ : financed with the ENTIRE budget (plus a 600 000$ debt that was called off) of CONCACAF's allocation of the GOAL project. Inaccessible to regional officials in far-away T&T, controlled by Warner and barely used for soccer functions, including training of refs.

A ridiculous show of Warner filling his pockets. Not only by getting the tournament, but in the construction of stadiums, the travel of teams to T&T, their stay in hotels, the communications and even the catering to all stadia. Guess what? That's right! All controlled by Warner and his family.

Our confederation is f*cked, plain in simple, because Antigua and Turks & Caicos hold as many votes as Mexico, the US, Canada, Guatemala, etc.

[Winnipeg Fury]

FIFA to look into alleged illegal ticket sales

September 12, 2006

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) -- Soccer's governing body will look into alleged illegal ticket sales of nearly $1 million during the World Cup by Jack Warner, one of its senior officials.

According reports Tuesday in Britain's Daily Mail, FIFA vice president Warner of Trinidad and Tobago was involved in the sale of thousands of World Cup tickets on the black market, including to 900 England fans.

ADVERTISEMENTThe Daily Mail reported it had obtained confidential reports produced by auditors Ernst & Young for FIFA revealing that Warner made at least $933,000 trading in World Cup tickets.

FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren confirmed the existence of the audit reports and denied that FIFA suppressed them. He said the executive committee would discuss the matter Friday in Zurich at Warner's request.

"In this case, such matters request very careful assessment in order to avoid prejudgement," Herren told The Associated Press. "Therefore, these reports were being treated as confidential."

Another senior FIFA official, executive committee member Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana, was sent home from the World Cup in Germany for ticket scalping. The 62-year-old Bhamjee sold 12 tickets for England's match against Trinidad and Tobago for $380. The tickets had a face value of $127.

It's not the first time Warner has been under scrutiny.

In February, he was cited by FIFA for an ethics violation over World Cup ticket sales. The only company selling tickets in Trinidad and Tobago, Simpaul, was a travel agency owned by Warner's family.

Previously, Trinidadian government officials alleged Warner used political contacts to secure stadium construction contracts at more than double their original cost.

[Daniel]

My money's on a lame reprimand.

[Grizzly]

Blatter and his cronies are every bit as corrupt as Warner. The only way FIFA is going to take an significant action is if police or public pressure becomes strong enough that Blatter has to betray his partner in crime to save himself. I expect a symbolic reprimand for publicity sake and business as usual with Warner retaining his post. I also predict the CSA will once again vote for him and Blatter as well in the next election.

[john tv]

Money is such a corruptive commodity.I would say nothing surprises me. It just makes me wonder how deep this thing goes. From my former auditing days, this is a can of worms and I am sure this thing is about to explode, unless the FIFA gangs up and "case closed'.Any bets?

[Daniel]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foul-Bribes-Rigging-Ticket-Scandals/dp/0007208111

[RJB]

I think that if he is found guilty, the CSA should get involved and make a call for his head. Something like this is unacceptable, and it is my opinion he should be fired. The CSA hopefully would agree, and should be very vocal about this.

[The Beaver]

If, as John tv has suggested, this corruption runs much deeper in FIFA than Warner, then we could see quite a change in the ruling class at FIFA,

OR,

Blatter and his cronies might try to bury this as quickly as possible, likely offering Warner up as a scapegoat, or if they sense he might go public with information on deeper corruption, they might give him a slight reprimand but otherwise leave things as is. I hope they ditch him. Maybe this way we'll get a reasonably fair grouping next WCQ.

[Daniel]

No one can touch FIFA, therefore, FIFA can be as corrupt as it wants (or alternatively, as it is). This might (hopefully) be the last straw for Warner who's done way too much of this stuff out in the public (here's another, overselling 5,000 tickets in 1989 to T&T-USA and keeping the money while president of the TTFA), but let me remain skeptical.

[RJB]

quote:Originally posted by The Beaver

If, as John tv has suggested, this corruption runs much deeper in FIFA than Warner, then we could see quite a change in the ruling class at FIFA,

OR,

Blatter and his cronies might try to bury this as quickly as possible, likely offering Warner up as a scapegoat, or if they sense he might go public with information on deeper corruption, they might give him a slight reprimand but otherwise leave things as is. I hope they ditch him. Maybe this way we'll get a reasonably fair grouping next WCQ.

The sad part is, that if they get rid of Warner, he will just be replaced by someone who is the exact same. It's a viscous cycle.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by RJB

The sad part is, that if they get rid of Warner, he will just be replaced by someone who is the exact same. It's a viscous cycle.

I don't know if that's even possible.

[Cheeta]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

My money's on a lame reprimand.

I wouldn't bet against it...

However, if the USSF decides enough is enough I'd say Warner's goose is cooked. Doesn't mean there'll be any sort of justice or we'll get Warner's head on a pike but at least he'll be done and gone.

Kinda hope this is Jack's last hurrah and he was using Germany 2006 as a last scheme to pad the old nest egg. Meaning he's none too upset to go out in a blaze (so long as things don't go too far).

[Winnipeg Fury]

T&T Express:

Jack Warner faces fresh FIFA enquiry

Lasana Liburd

Wednesday, September 13th 2006

FIFA vice-president Jack Warner faces a fresh enquiry by football's world governing body after being again fingered in a World Cup tickets scandal.

English investigative journalist Andrew Jennings, whose latest book "Foul" catalogues alleged widespread corruption in FIFA, claimed to have unearthed new damning information regarding Warner's conduct based on leaked documents from FIFA's Zurich headquarters.

Jennings' article, which broke exclusively in yesterday's Daily Mail newspaper in Britain, said Warner and his son, Daryan, made a minimum of $5 million from the resale of Germany World Cup tickets in violation of several FIFA rules.

Warner's mobile phone was switched off yesterday and, up to press time, he had not responded to a voice message left by the Express that asked for his explanation of the new twist to the ticketing scandal.

If true, Warner would be the second executive committee member to have breached FIFA's rules at the 2006 World Cup. Botswana administrator Ismail Bhamjee was sent home from Germany by FIFA president Sepp Blatter after he admitted to selling tickets above face value and resigned his post on the executive committee and quit all his sporting posts with immediate effect.

"This is a fact that really makes me furious," said Blatter about Bhamjee's act. "This man must leave the competition immediately... It is so disappointing."

Bhamjee sold 12 tickets at three times their face value for the World Cup fixture between England and Trinidad and Tobago.

Warner is alleged to have sold at least 5,400 tickets at as much as four times their value for matches involving England, Mexico and Japan to companies in the United States, Switzerland and Japan.

Yet, the Mail claimed that FIFA protected Warner after receiving an allegedly damning report from international accounting firm, Ernst & Young.

FIFA media chief Andreas Herren did not deny or confirm the allegations but replied that "the matter will be discussed at the next meeting of the FIFA Executive, coming September 15 (Friday), at the request of Jack Warner".

FIFA's authorised independent audit of World Cup ticket sales by Ernst & Young began in January after the Express exclusively revealed that Warner diverted Trinidad and Tobago's ticket allocation into his family-owned business, Simpaul Travel Service.

In February, FIFA's Committee for Ethics and Fair Play ruled that Warner violated three sections of its Code of Ethics by committing what they referred to as "a conflict of interest". But the FIFA executive committee, headed by Blatter, pardoned Warner on the grounds that he supposedly sold his stake in Simpaul Travel and the company no longer sold tickets as part of a package deal involving accommodation.

Warner is an open political ally of Blatter and has publicly reiterated that the 35 CONCACAF nations would support the Swiss administrator at FIFA elections.

Simpaul Travel is now officially owned by Margaret Fletcher and Princes Rose Campbell, who share the same Barataria address and gave their occupations as housewife and veterinarian, respectively.

Fletcher and Campbell have consistently refused comment on the million-dollar company, while there was no proof of a transfer of shares.

The Express confirmed, though, that Simpaul Travel continued to sell World Cup tickets as part of a package deal, while the Mail alleged that Daryan Warner still acted as the company's CEO until June, at least.

But Ernst & Young appeared to have unearthed much more.

Two accountants from the firm, during the course of their investigations, allegedly voiced their displeasure with a lack of cooperation from Daryan, who refused to hand over relevant documents. However, according to papers supposedly leaked from FIFA, Ernst & Young was still able to conclude that Warner had breached its laws.

"Tickets (bought by) Jack Warner were transferred or resold into the secondary market," stated the report, "in breach of 2006 World Cup ticketing general terms and conditions."

Ernst & Young twice submitted reports to FIFA regarding Warner's conduct, but neither was made public.

The Mail revealed that Simpaul Travel played an integral role in the funneling of World Cup tickets to other tour operators around the globe. Through Simpaul, Warner sold packages that promised 3,000 tickets for Japan's first three matches; 1,500 tickets for Mexico's first round games through Miami-based Soccer Travel; and 900 tickets for England's group stage fixtures through Sports World Group.

FIFA's ticket office, the Manchester-based Byrom company, tipped off Ernst & Young to Warner's demands. The local football administrator subsequently ordered a further 292 tickets, although it is uncertain whether his request was granted.

He supposedly ran into further trouble, according to the Mail report, when he was unable to fulfill his ticketing obligations to various travel firms and Swiss travel agent Antonio Gallicchio allegedly travelled to FIFA's Berlin hotel on June 20 to complain that he did not receive all the tickets he purchased. He claimed to have paid the Warners 400 Euros each for tickets valued at 100 Euros.

Gallicchio maintained he personally collected 180 tickets from Daryan which were ordered by the FIFA vice-president. Some of the tickets were allegedly addressed to the Grenada Football Association.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by Cheeta

I wouldn't bet against it...

However, if the USSF decides enough is enough I'd say Warner's goose is cooked. Doesn't mean there'll be any sort of justice or we'll get Warner's head on a pike but at least he'll be done and gone.

Kinda hope this is Jack's last hurrah and he was using Germany 2006 as a last scheme to pad the old nest egg. Meaning he's none too upset to go out in a blaze (so long as things don't go too far).

To tie it all in: CONCACAF general secretary and lead henchman? USA's Chuck BLAZEr.

[Footscray]

Warner is a total greaseball.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Fifa could suspend him from official committees, but has no say over what Concacaf does with him.

Canada has to be discreet and wait for the next regional elections. He is, after all, the guy who helped negotiate the WYC for us next year. That is how successful politicians work, they share the spoils.

[Daniel]

New FIFA watchdog to investigate ticket scandal

FIFA will tomorrow announce that a Briton is to head the world governing body's first independent watchdog - and his first task will be to deal with the World Cup ticket scandal that has engulfed vice-president Jack Warner.

The name of the chairman of the independent ethics commission will be announced by FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich.

The appointment of the high-profile figure is aimed to show that FIFA have embraced transparency after years of criticism that their old internal ethics committee was toothless.

The timing is not good for Warner, a FIFA vice-president from Trinidad and Tobago, who this week was revealed to have been identified by FIFA's auditors as being involved in a World Cup ticket scandal.

Warner has been embroiled in similar situations before but until now has always kept his position because under FIFA's statutes only his confederation can remove him - not Blatter and not his fellow executive committee members.

As Warner effectively controls the CONCACAF federation, his position has until now been invulnerable, but could all be set to change.

One FIFA insider said: 'The idea is that the new ethics commission is both independent and has teeth.'

Auditors Ernst & Young traced numerous World Cup tickets bought by Warner as having been quickly re-sold through a Florida-based agency at up to three times their face value.

In their confidential report to FIFA, the accountants say: 'We can confirm that tickets included in orders under customer reference 201498572 (Mr Jack Warner) were transferred or resold into the secondary market in breach of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany ticketing general terms and conditions.'

Warner escaped censure in March despite FIFA ruling he was guilty of a clear conflict of interest.

Warner, a special adviser to the Trinidad and Tobago FA, broke the code of conduct after his family's travel company, Simpaul, secured exclusive rights to sell his country's entire World Cup ticket allocation.

Warner told FIFA that he and his wife had sold their shares in Simpaul and had no idea he had violated any rules.

In the 1980s and 90s Warner obtained FIFA's TV rights for the Caribbean for a pittance and then sold them on to broadcasters.

Meanwhile, UEFA president Lennart Johansson, also a FIFA vice-president, has called for tougher rules to regulate football agents and club ownership.

He said in an interview to be broadcast on BBC Radio Five tonight: 'We should be concerned about the situation with agents, bribery, illegal betting, racism and hooliganism.

'There, rules should be tightened and enforced.'

[Grizzly]

FIFA VP to face the music

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) - FIA vice-president Jack Warner will face the organization's disciplinary committee over allegations he illegally sold thousands of tickets during the World Cup.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a news conference Friday that Warner would have to go before the 19-member committee over accusations that he sold World Cup tickets at inflated prices.

Blatter said that FIFA's newly established ethics committee was "not the appropriate venue" to investigate whether Warner sold nearly US$1 million worth of illegal tickets.

"The ethics committee is not ready to deal with cases that occurred until now," Blatter said.

World soccer's governing body did not elaborate on what Warner's possible punishment might be if found to have acted illegally.

According to British reports this week, Warner was involved in the sale of thousands of World Cup tickets on the black market, including to 900 England fans.

The Daily Mail reported it had obtained confidential reports produced by auditors Ernst & Young for FIFA revealing that Warner made at least $933,000 trading in World Cup tickets.

Blatter confirmed that FIFA had been notified of the ticket sales by Ernest & Young months before making the information public, and said the organization had sought to deal with the case internally.

He said internal documents passed to the press which revealed details about the irregular ticket sales were "a leakage which we will try to identify."

Another senior FIFA official, executive committee member Ismail Bhamjee of Botswana, was sent home from the World Cup in Germany for ticket scalping. The 62-year-old Bhamjee sold 12 tickets for England's match against Warneras native Trinidad and Tobago for $380 each. The tickets had a face value of $127 apiece.

[Blue and White Army]

This is starting to sound promising!

[Blue and White Army]

This is starting to sound promising!

[DoyleG]

Jack's now suing.

http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.asp?id=3556

[Winnipeg Fury]

Warner to face FIFA disciplinary committee.

By: Lasana Liburd (Express).

16 Sept 2006

Jack's conspiracy theory.

FIFA vice-president Jack Warner's sporting career now rests with the global football organisation's Disciplinary Committee, who must decide on the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) special adviser's culpability regarding the resale of World Cup tickets for the 2006 tournament in Germany.

At a Zurich press conference yesterday-which was beamed live via the internet-FIFA president Sepp Blatter handed over what he called "a not too comfortable situation" for the Disciplinary Committee to adjudicate.

No deadline was set for a verdict and Blatter only said that the committee "will hopefully reach a conclusion very soon".

Warner stands accused of reselling at least 5,400 World Cup tickets at an inflated price, which contravenes several of the organisation's bylaws.

FIFA was made aware of Warner's alleged violations by independent international accounting firm, Ernst & Young, in separate reports last April and July. However, the information was not made public until English investigative reporter, Andrew Jennings, broke the story in the Daily Mail on Tuesday.

Warner's meeting with the Disciplinary Committee will be his fourth trip to the FIFA docks in the last eight months.

The United National Congress (UNC) deputy political leader was found guilty of "a conflict of interest" and breaching FIFA's Code of Ethics in February by the Committee for Ethics and Fair Play after his personal stake in Simpaul Travel was exclusively revealed by the Express.

But, a month later, Warner escaped with a reprimand after the case was taken up by the FIFA Executive Committee.

Yesterday, Blatter said the Executive Committee was no longer the "right platform to deal with this case" and would not repeat the "mistake" made in its March 17 judgment, which absolved Warner.

But Blatter will not send Warner before the Committee for Ethics and Fair Play a second time on the grounds that its new English chairman, Lord Sebastian Coe, should only deal with future cases.

It is the Disciplinary Committee, which was accused of several cover-ups during Blatter's term, that was called into action. In addition, Blatter said Warner will only be called to answer for 180 World Cup tickets purchased with his credit card although Ernst & Young alleged that he had resold thousands more.

The Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Blatter's compatriot Marcel Mathier, knows Warner and the T&TFF well.

In 2002, Blatter passed another potentially damaging case to Mathier's body when Trinidadian Neville Ferguson was accused of impersonating a Haitian delegate at the 1998 FIFA elections that saw Blatter replace outgoing leader, Dr Joao Havelange.

But the Disciplinary Committee's report was not made public until March 2005 and the media was then told that a decision was taken in secret, 20 months earlier, and Ferguson had been "reprimanded".

Warner also has a friendly face on the Committee in the form of ex-Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president Captain Horace Burrell. In Warner's recent biography, Burrell referred to his regional colleague as a man of "moral authority".

Burrell was accused of encouraging his former girlfriend, Vincy Jalal, to impersonate the same FIFA delegate in 1996. But neither Burrell nor Jalal-whose name was recorded in the official congress report-were sanctioned.

Although Blatter passed the responsibility to decide Warner's case elsewhere, he was bombarded with questions from journalists in Zurich yesterday.

One reporter asked why Blatter treated Warner differently to Botswana delegate, Ismail Bhamjee, who was immediately sent home from the 2006 World Cup after another media sting implicated the FIFA executive committee member in "touting" 12 match tickets at three times the face value. Bhamjee promptly resigned all his sporting posts.

Blatter insisted that Warner's case is different as the CONCACAF president is attempting to defend his position while Bhamjee admitted his wrongdoing.

"The Bhamjee case is a totally different case," said Blatter. "Mr Bhamjee readily admitted having done wrong. He admitted his guilt and he did not wait for a decision to be taken. But, in a very generous manner, he simply withdrew."

In contrast, Warner launched a counter-attack which claimed that he was a victim of Ernst & Young's "incomplete" and "fatally flawed" investigations.

Warner also insisted that his purchase of 180 tickets with his own credit card was done "under duress". (SEE ACCOMPANYING STORY)

Some reporters wanted to know why FIFA had only just gotten around to the matter if Ernst & Young briefed them "half a year ago". Had FIFA suppressed potentially damning information?

Blatter's responses were slow and lengthy, punctuated by long pauses. He claimed that he already planned to raise the matter with his executive committee yesterday. It was mere coincidence, he suggested, that the meeting took place just three days after Ernst & Young's report was leaked through the Mail newspaper.

"The general secretary (Urs Linsi) was taking care of this matter," said Blatter. "But, as I said, we wanted to present it now to the Executive Committee Furthermore, we wanted to give the information to the Executive Committee at the moment when the Executive Committee is meeting.

"We did not want to disclose certain information to all the members of the Executive Committee when it would have been the same result as you have now."

In Bhamjee's case, an Emergency Committee meeting was called on June 17 and he was promptly sent home. Blatter did not deny that he knew of Warner's alleged wrongdoing at the same time that he disciplined the African delegate.

Blatter insisted that his close political ties with Warner would not stop him from acting if the Trinidadian violated the principles of fair play. He then left it to another committee to take action.

"I decided, and the executive committee followed me, this will now be handed over to a body that will settle this matter," said Blatter. "And this will be done by the disciplinary committee, having available two documents which will enable it to start working and deal with this particular issue and will hopefully reach a conclusion very soon."

------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Cup tickets purchased under duress.

By: Lasana Liburd (Express).

Jack's conspiracy theory.

 

FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) special adviser Jack Warner yesterday denied allegations of reselling 2006 World Cup tickets at four times the face value and suggested that he was set up by a combination of FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi, FIFA Ticket Office (FTO) official Jaime Byrom and accounting firm Ernst & Young.

Warner was accused by Ernst & Young, which was hired by FIFA to conduct an independent audit, of reselling a minimum of 5,400 tickets to tour operators, which violates at least four bylaws of the world governing body. The matter was yesterday passed to the organisation's Disciplinary Committee by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

But Warner struck back with a 12-page document compiled by Chicago lawyer John Collins and his own Swiss attorney, Dr Mark Bruppacher, which claimed that he (Warner) was the victim of an "incomplete" and "fatally flawed" investigation by Ernst & Young.

Bruppacher insisted that Warner ordered only 81 tickets for the World Cup apart from those received on behalf of the T&TFF.

Warner also insisted that he purchased 180 World Cup tickets with his credit card-the crux of FIFA's investigations-under "duress" from Byrom and was suspicious of Linsi's role in the case.

Warner said he had no knowledge of tickets to tour operators for Japan, Mexico and England World Cup games, although his son, Daryan, signed to receive more than 100 tickets from the FTO. GTU Travel managing director Antonio Gallicchio also signed a statement on June 20. These tickets, according to Ernst & Young, turned up at a Miami firm named "Kick Sports", which then sold them on for four times the face value.

Ernst & Young further claimed that thousands of tickets were ordered with Warner's FIFA reference number.

Warner's attorney countered that the international accounting firm had "no evidence ( ) that Jack Warner was not aware of the purchase or distribution of those tickets".

Warner's claims of ignorance will be tested by e-mails sent by Daryan to FTO boss Enrique Byrom and copied to his father requesting 1,500 tickets (See below).

Bruppacher also did not elaborate on the fact that Ernst & Young auditors Peter Coats and Thomas Stenz admitted the report was incomplete only because Daryan did not meet their "information requests".

Still, Warner was on the offensive yesterday as he wondered how Ernst & Young completed a report on the same day that his credit card purchase was made.

"It strains credulity to believe that the timing of these events was merely coincidental," stated Warner's attorney.

Warner also had "concerns" about the actions of Linsi, the FIFA general secretary, and claimed that the Ernst & Young documents were "leaked" to English investigative journalist Andrew Jennings one day after Warner criticised the high-ranking FIFA official.

Linsi, he stated, had contacted Warner in connection with an alleged agreement reached between FIFA and Simpaul Travel.

Warner's case is the second ticket scandal involving a FIFA executive committee member to be heard since the 2006 World Cup.

African delegate Ismail Bhamjee admitted to selling 12 World Cup tickets at more than three times their value after being caught out by the press and was promptly sent home in June. He subsequently resigned all sporting posts.