FIFA clears Jack

The International Football Federa-tion (FIFA) the world governing body for football, has cleared Australia’s World Cup 2022 bid, and by extension Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner of wrongdoing, rejecting claims that illegal gifts were provided to FIFA executives, and their wives.

In July, FIFA confirmed it was investigating allegations that Australian World Cup bid officials handed out jewellery and offered to cover travel costs to win votes ahead of December’s votes on the destination of the 2022 World Cup finals.

Warner is a FIFA vice president and as head of CONCACAF, controls three of the 24 votes on where World Cup finals are held.

An investigation by FIFA into Football Federation Australia’s (FFA) bid to host the finals was launched after questions arose over the Australia bid team’s sponsorship of a trip to Cyprus for the Trinidad and Tobago under-20 football squad in September 2009.

FFA also offered pearl cufflinks to FIFA committee members and pearl necklaces to their wives.

She received the necklace 14 months after the wives of Warner’s other FIFA colleagues when Australia’s World Cup bid started in 2008.

The FFA said it presented Maureen Warner with the necklace because she was not present at a 2008 function when a Paspaley pearl pendant was given to the wives of FIFA executives.

It said the gifts were within FIFA guidelines which allow for token of incidental value.

FIFA wrote to the FFA towards the end of July, clearing the Australia bid team (and Warner) of any wrongdoing.

FIFA gave the bid team a clean bill of health and said there was no improper practice. It said the matter was closed, Australian and US media reported at the end of last month.

Warner dismissed the initial allegations that led to the FIFA investigation as a “non-issue”.

Speaking with the Express by phone on Sunday, Warner said gifts were given to the wives of 24 FIFA executives and there was nothing wrong with his wife receiving the FFA token a year later. (Trinidad Express)