CONCACAF fires Blazer with immediate effect

Fired: Chuck Blazer

Acting President of CONCACAF Lisle Austin on Tuesday fired the football body's General Secretary, Chuck Blazer, with immediate effect.

Austin took over as acting head of CONCACAF following the provisional suspension of its president Jack Warner pending an investigation into allegations of corruption.

Blazer and his American lawyer prepared a file outlining the allegations against Warner and submitted it to FIFA. That prompted the organisation's Ethics Committee to hold a hearing Sunday at which it ruled that there was a case for Warner to answer.

In announcing its decision, it also made it clear that the ruling did not mean that the Trinidad and Tobago cabinet minister was guilty of anything, noting that guilt or innocence would be determined at the investigation where Warner would be able to face his accusers and present a full defence.

Austin delivered Blazer's dismissal letter directly to him at his hotel in Zurich, where is is attending the FIFA congress which it is expected that FIFA President Sepp Blatter would be reappointed unopposed for another four-year term.

He also advised Blatter and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke of the decision to fire Blazer.

Austin called the move against Blazer "the dawn of a new era in CONCACAF". He said the Confederation cannot afford to be further dragged through the mud by its detractors.

He added that it is time to heal the wounds inflicted upon the Confederation and urged his membership to rebuild and strengthen friendships that once had made them one.

The day before Austin had suspended Blazer and asked for an explanation within 48 hours on what authority he used to unilaterally hire the law firm Collins and Collins to conduct investigations into allegations of misconduct by members of CONCACAF.

He also stopped all contractual arrangements with the law firm. Austin aslo called on Blazer to explain the procedure and rationale behind his decision on Monday to select five non-elected members of CONCACAF to represent the Confederation at the FIFA congress.

In a media release late Tuesday Austin made it clear that he acted in accordance with the rules is dismissing Blazer. He noted that according to CONCACAF statutes, the executive committee has no authority to convene a meeting unless it is chaired by the president.

"The presence of four Executive Committee members in the hotel room of Mr. Blazer does not constitute an Executive Committee meeting," Austin noted.

"I can assure you that this is my final statement on this matter," he said. "I will not allow myself or this organization to dragged into a tit for tat war in the public domain."