PORT-OF-SPAIN – Former CONCACAF president Austin “Jack” Warner has dismissed a report by the hemispheric football authority that slammed him and American Chuck Blazer as “fraudulent in their management” of the confederation’s affairs.
Former Barbados Chief Justice Sir David Simmons, who headed CONCACAF’s integrity committee, presented the CONCACAF’s congress in Panama with a detailed report into allegations of financial mismanagement by Warner and Blazer, the former general secretary based on documents and interviews with 38 people. Neither Warner nor Blazer cooperated with the investigation.
In a statement, Warner said while he has not had the chance to “fully read the report of CONCACAF where allegations have been made against me, I left CONCACAF and turned my back on football two years ago. Since then I have had no interest in any football related matter”.
He said the CONCACAF’s report “is of no concern to me and as far as I am aware it is baseless and malicious”.
“CONCACAF lawyers have been in communication for several months with my lawyers who have instructions in this matter. I am advised that the matter is a contractual matter for which my lawyers are dealing with separate and apart from any CONCACAF organised committee,” Warner said.
He said notwithstanding that, it does seem ironical that CONCACAF had been paying rent for a property all these years which, according to them, belonged to CONCACAF.
“In addition, it is also alarming that FIFA would invest in a property that is neither owned by them, CONCACAF, or the local football body in clear violation of their statutes, inclusive of Goal (FIFA development programme) statutes and regulations.
“It is even passing strange that the CONCACAF organised committee interviewed some 38 persons, according to them, and yet did not interview Dr Joao Havelange, former FIFA president, who is still alive, is in good physical and mental health and in whose honour the centre has been named and whom, I am sure, would have been able to enlighten them.”
The report found that Warner did not disclose to CONCACAF, which represents soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, or world governing body FIFA, that a US$25.9 million Centre of Excellence was built on land owned by his companies. (CMC)