CONCACAF Announce Warner Replacement

It has been confirmed that Jeffrey Webb is to replace Jack Warner as president of the Confederation of North, ambulance Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).

The Cayman Islander stated he had been nominated by 25 of CONCACAF’s 40 member nations and will be formally voted into office at the organisation’s congress in Budapest, Hungary, on May 23. “I am humbled by the tremendous out pouring of support and encouragement received from so many of the member countries,” he said, according to Reuters. “It is this unity of the CONCACAF that will champion our success, and if elected, it is my intention to build on that unity through collaboration, transparency, integrity, engagement, and accountability.”

CONCACAF will hope that Webb’s appointment will end a period of turmoil for the organisation. Warner quit the presidency last year in the midst of allegations of involvement in the FIFA presidential election scandal. Warner’s departure was followed by that of general secretary Chuck Blazer, who announced his intention to step down in October after his bribery accusations against Warner and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed bin Hammam triggered FIFA’s current anti-corruption crusade.

Blazer said in May that Warner and Bin Hammam attempted to bribe Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials with US$40,000 each to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election. Warner’s acting successor Lisle Austin then tried to dismiss Blazer, setting off more disciplinary proceedings, before he was then suspended by FIFA.

Alfredo Hawitt of Honduras has served as CONCACAF’s interim president since Warner’s resignation. Webb served in a number of positions with the Cayman Islands Football Association, including his current role as president, and has also been a member of several FIFA committees.