Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Jack quits FIFA, charges dropped

Geneva: (AP) Jack Warner quit as a FIFA vice president on Monday and had a bribery probe against him dropped by world football's governing body.

Warner and Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam were suspended by FIFA last month after they were accused of offering $40,000 cash payments to Caribbean voters during bin Hammam's presidential campaign to unseat Sepp Blatter.

Warner spent 28 years on FIFA's executive committee but stepped down days after some of his Caribbean Football Union followers were interviewed by former FBI agents enlisted by FIFA to investigate the scandal.

"Jack A. Warner has informed FIFA about his resignation from his posts in international football," FIFA said in a statement. "FIFA regrets the turn of events that have led to Mr. Warner's decision. His resignation has been accepted by world football's governing body ... Mr. Warner is leaving FIFA by his own volition after nearly 30 years of service.

"As a consequence of Mr. Warner's self-determined resignation, all ethics committee procedures against him have been closed and the presumption of innocence is maintained," the FIFA statement added.

Warner had "chosen to focus on his important work on behalf of the people and government of Trinidad and Tobago as a cabinet minister and as the chairman of the United National Congress, the major party in his country's coalition government," the statement said.

"The FIFA Executive Committee, the FIFA President and the FIFA management thank Mr. Warner for his services to Caribbean, CONCACAF and international football over his many years devoted to football at both regional and international level, and wish him well for the future."

Warner joined FIFA's inner circle in 1983 and seven years later was elected president of the confederation which covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The 68-year-old official was given another four-year term unopposed at the CONCACAF congress held May 3 in Miami.

Story by Associated Press (AP)

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Jai & Sero

Jai & Sero

Our family at home in Toronto 2008

Our family at home in Toronto 2008
Amit, Heather, Fuzz, Aj, Jiv, Shiva, Rampa, Sero, Jai