Warner Resigns from FIFA Leading to End of Investigations

FIFA’s longest serving vice-president Jack Warner sensationally resigned from his post at world soccer’s governing body yesterday, June 20, as well as his presidency of CONCACAF following the most explosive bribery scandal in the organisation’s history.

FIFA released a statement emailed yesterday, reading: “Jack A. Warner has informed FIFA about his resignation from his posts in international football. 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, and his contribution to international football and to Caribbean football in particular and the CONCACAF confederation are appreciated and acknowledged.”

The statement added that Warner had decided to relinquish his ties with soccer to focus on his role as Cabinet Minister and as the Chairman of the United National Congress for his native Trinidad & Tobago. His reputation in the politics world had been seriously tarnished by the latest revelations at FIFA and Warner revealed last week that he would choose his role in government ahead of soccer if a decision had to be made.

A key factor in this decision has seen all charges against Warner from FIFA, having been provisionally suspended, dropped, with the statement adding: “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 controversial CONCACAF President was at the centre of claims that Caribbean colleagues were paid thousands of dollars to vote for Sepp Blatter’s former presidential challenger Mohamed Bin Hammam in the recent election.

Warner, 68, was temporarily suspended along with Bin Hammam pending a full investigation into accusations that 25 Caribbean federations were offered US$40,000 each at a specially arranged meeting in Trinidad on May 10-11.

With the evidence appearing to stack up against him, FIFA’s most controversial powerbroker, who has survived a number of previous yet far less damaging scandals, has walked before being pushed.

He will now be replaced as CONCACAF President and told Bloomberg: “I have lost my enthusiasm to continue.

“The general secretary that I had employed (Chuck Blazer), who worked with me for 21 years, with the assistance of elements of FIFA has sought to undermine me in ways that are unimaginable. 

“I’ve been hung out to dry continually and I’m not prepared to take that.”

Speaking specifically about the allegations that bribes were paid, Warner added: “It’s not unusual for such things to happen and gifts have been around throughout the history of FIFA. 

“What’s happening now for me is hypocrisy.”