Fifa vice-president Jack Warner has resigned, world football's governing body has confirmed. "As a consequence of Mr Warner's resignation, all ethics committee procedures against him have been closed and the presumption of innocence is maintained," said a Fifa statement. Warner was suspended pending an investigation into bribery allegations. He and fellow Fifa member Mohamed Bin Hammam are alleged to have paid bribes of £600,000 to Caribbean associations. Chuck Blazer, general secretary of the Concacaf federation Warner had been president of, alleged that violations of Fifa's code of ethics occurred during a meeting organised by Bin Hammam and Warner in May. Blazer's allegations were preceded by claims made in parliament by the former head of England's failed 2018 World Cup bid, Lord Triesman, about irregularities in the bidding process for the 2018 World Cup. Triesman, who was also former chairman of the Football Association, accused Warner and three other Fifa Executive Committee members of improper conduct during England's 2018 World Cup bid. According to Triesman, in exchange for voting for England to host the World Cup, Warner had asked for cash to build an education centre in Trinidad and to buy World Cup television rights for Haiti. The 68-year-old had been the longest-serving member of Fifa's executive committee, and a Fifa statement continued: "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. Fifa in May opened "ethics proceedings" against Warner and Bin Hammam but Warner insisted he was not guilty of a "single iota of wrongdoing." Football's governing body then suspended Warner and former Fifa presidential candidate Bin Hammam on 29 May, pending an investigation into claims they had offered bribes to members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU). Despite claims by Bin Hammam that Fifa President Sepp Blatter was aware of payments made to the CFU, and that he too should be investigated, Fifa' ethics committee stated that "no investigation is warranted" of Blatter. Following Bin Hammam's suspension, Blatter went on to run unopposed in the Fifa presidential election, despite efforts by the FA to have the election suspended amid the corruption allegations that had engulfed the sport's world governing body. Seventeen member associations supported the FA's request for a delay, but Blatter was re-elected for a fourth term after receiving 186 of the 203 votes. Despite the controversy that has surrounded Fifa and Warner since May, the governing body's statement concluded: "Mr Warner is leaving Fifa by his own volition after nearly 30 years of service. "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." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13845203.stm Now it can all be swept under the carpet and they will be more carefull about getting caught in the future. Lesson learnt.
Well, if anyone had any doubts about their honesty before, this statement most certainly removes them. The whole organisation is as guilty as sin from top to toe!
Cover up. Big pay off. Job done. Noses back in the trough guys. Our beautiful game (and it is our game) has a very ugly side to it right now. The problem is, how the hell are we going to destroy this culture of greed and deceit?
What kind of organisation would drop an investigation of corruption against an individual simply because he resigns? A corrupt one which doesn't value the truth nor seek reforms. Sepp: Jack, I am afraid it aint looking good for you or for FIFA, I have an idea though. Warner: What's that? Sepp: Well if you resign, you're no longer an employee under the jurisdiction of FIFA, which means we won't need to look closer at things and tell the world what we find. FIFA is then fine and you're fine so what do you say? Warner: Give me £50,000 and I'll say yes Sepp: Now you know we can't do that Jack, there are others in the pipeline, here is £20,000 and we'll thank you for all your efforts, make sure you're honarably discharged from FIFA's ranks. Warner: Deal *shakes hand*
It certainly stinks, as does the whole organisation. To be honest. I never expected anything to come of these "investigations", anyway. Another version: Blatter to head of investigation: "Sepp here, about this investigation into alleged corruption" Investigator: "Yes" Sepp: "I'll give you £250,000 to say there isn't any" Investigator: "Make it £500,000 and we've got a deal" Sepp: "O.k, done.
Just the same as the european union,noses in the trough boys,never mind the voters,no one can votes us out we're not mep's
The carpet at FIFA must have so much s**t under it, walking across it must be a real mission! I hate that man Blatter, we invented this game, it definitely wasn't Sweden!, without England he would not have a job.
He's actually Swiss, not Swedish, if that's what you're getting at. You have to just laugh at how corrupt FIFA is, you'd end up crying otherwise :-(
Maybe we should breakaway from FIFA with Bosnia and make our own World Cup. We'd definitely have a right to be angry if we couldn't get past the quaters of that competition!
NsS/Luke...it would appear he is, I can't recall what made me think he was Swedish but I'm not alone though... http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A33399156 and AlFayedsChequebook MAESTRO * Offline Offline Posts: 2783 Re: How many times can Sepp Blatter shoot himself in the foot? « Reply #10 on: December 14, 2010, 03:02:30 pm » Sepp Blatter is the Swedish Silvio Berluscon Weird!...cue the 3 buffoon jokes!
he should n't be allowed to resign until the investigation is finished. It seems he was going to spill the beans big time on Blatter so guess what they've let him resign before that happens. Stinks from top to bottom.
Unfortunately, Scteffen. At the moment, we are about the only ones brave enough to point out that "The King has no clothes". Until, and unless we get a few more admitting what is plainly obvious - but everyone denies, or ignores, then there would be little point in our resigning. It would be like peterborough leaving the Football League. Everybody would take a quick look and then quickly forget about it.
It's rotten. But we should have spilled the beans before the WC announcment that way we dont get accused of sour grapes ,We will never see the WC in the UK unless the scots or Welsh put it on.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13878161.stm Looks like Warner did well to escape when he did.
So what happens if Bin Hammam quits? Does that go away too or does he get shafted because he dared to stand against Blatter?
