The trouble with Jack
FIFA official
(trinidad express)
Sunday, February 19th 2006
Britain's Telegraph newspaper last week carried a report on TTFA's special adviser, Jack Warner's breaching of FIFA's code of ethics, which contains an interesting take on the mindset of Warner who, of course, is also a FIFA vice-president.
The following is the report:
"FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, from Trinidad and Tobago, has been found guilty of breaching FIFA's code of ethics. Warner, 63, has previously been involved in business activities which conflicted with his position, however FIFA now appear to be taking action after he was found to be involved in the sale of his country's World Cup tickets.
"The multi-millionaire-who made his money through the sale of World Cup television rights for the Caribbean in the 1980s and '90s-and president of the CONCACAF federation could face suspension when the executive committee of football's world governing body meets next month."
A FIFA member said: "It was made clear to Jack after he became involved in running the accommodation at the FIFA Under-17 championships in Trinidad in 2001 that he cannot continue with this sort of behaviour.
"Everyone was extremely embarrassed by the whole thing then, and even more so now. It is not a case of being corrupt but it is a definite conflict of interest.
"The trouble with Jack is that he doesn't think he's doing anything wrong and has been astounded by the fuss. He just thinks he is being a sharp businessman.
"Warner will become the first FIFA vice-president to be expelled if the executive committee decide he has failed to meet the organisation's ethical principles."
Big business gets most tickets
Simpaul Travel lead the way
(trinidad express)
Sunday, February 19th 2006
OF THE 35,000 applications for tickets for the 2006 World Cup, corporations and groups were allotted the largest share of the 10, 749 tickets allocated to Trinidad and Tobago by FIFA, the governing body for world football.
This according to a media release from the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) on Friday. The figures were provided by Enrique Byrom of FIFA's Ticketing and Accommo-dation bureau, who was here last week to do an audit of the local ticket distribution. Byrom's analysis shows that a total of 63 corporations and groups were allotted a total of 2,167 match tickets, with some getting from 18 tickets to as much as 300 over T&T's three preliminary World Cup matches.
Byrom's figures also show that the single biggest beneficiary of the ticket distribution was Simpaul Travel Service, which got 1,774 match tickets. Simpaul is owned by the family of FIFA vice-president Jack Warner. Byron's audited figures were forwarded to FIFA General Secretary Dr. Urs Linsi and may have been largely responsible for FIFA citing Warner for being involved in conflict of interest.
On Thursday, the world football governing body issued a media release on their website stating: "At its meeting in Zurich yesterday (Wednesday, 15 February) under the chairmanship of Senes Erzik (Turkey), the Committee for Ethics and Fair Play dealt with a number of issues including that of FIFA vice-president Jack A. Warner (Trinidad and Tobago), who had himself brought the matter to the committee's attention. The committee concluded that because of his involvement with Simpaul Travel Service in Port-of-Spain, FIFA vice-president Jack A. Warner has a conflict of interest with regard to ticketing for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and as a result, he has violated FIFA's Code of Ethics. The FIFA Executive Committee will now discuss this matter on 16 -17 March 2006."
Meanwhile, the figures also show that the T&TFF had allocated only 9, 915 of their ticket quota and that there are still 834 tickets available to be distributed to persons wanting to travel to Germany for the World Cup which runs from June 9 - July 9.
T&T'S WORLD CUP TICKET DISTRIBUTION:
1. Sponsors of the FA (total six companies) Tickets assigned -1,039
2. Tour Operators Local market excluding Simpauls (total 7) -1,055
3. Simpauls -1,774
4. Government T and T including Assembly, Tourist Dev Agency and
5. London High Commission - 432
6. BWIA Graduates-150
7. Supporters Clubs (Luton Town UK Soca Worriers USA)-100
8. Commercial affiliates (i.e.) KPMG and Living Water Community-184
9. Several corporations and groups (63) in excess of four tickets per match
ranging from 18 tickets to 300 over 3 matches -2167
10. TTFF Coaches, players and team staff-762
11. TTFF Staff and officials-699
12. Individual ticket applications, per household max four per match-1,553
Ticket applicants - 35,000
Total tickets assigned to T&T - 10,749
Total tickets already allocated - 9,915
Tickets still to be allocated -834
