Sports writer Lasana Liburd who put FIFA vice- president Jack Warner on the spot has been denied accreditation for the World Cup finals by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF).
By Gregory Lal-BeharieLiburd has written a three-part series that exposed Warner's ownership of the Simpaul Travel Agency which has been granted exclusive rights to Trinidad and Tobago's quota of World Cup tickets.
In a letter to the Express Newspapers dated January 10, T&TFF media officer David Lamy advised that another Express reporter and a photographer had been duly accredited but was silent on the request made for Liburd by Editor-at-Large Keith Smith.
Liburd's articles on December 25, 26 and 27 queried the conflict of interest between the Warner family's ownership of Simpaul and its resulting control of high-priced World Cup packages.
The T&TFF's non-accreditation of Liburd means he will be denied access to the media box at the World Cup and access to training sessions for the team at the match venue. He would also not be able to attend post-match media conferences.
T&TFF communications officer Sean Fuentes said they were limited to recommending 21 reporters and five photographers from the country for accreditation.
"We had to give preference for those who we know have been true supporters of the football team throughout the campaign before anyone else who is now requesting accreditation", was his explanation.
Fuentes however suggested that Liburd was suffering the wrath of FIFA: "We've been advised by FIFA that he would not be accredited to FIFA tournaments. Apparently he's in their black book, I can't say for sure."
Lamy who signed the correspondence to the Express refused comment on Liburd's accreditation denial.
"I don't have to tell you that. That's internal. That's Mr Warner's business. Anything like that you ask him. I have to report to him, not to you or anybody else."
Attempts to contact Warner were unsuccessful and a letter from Smith to Mr Lamy requesting a reason for Liburd' shut-out has so far gone unanswered.
