Jack Warner, FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF boss, issued a letter to the media yesterday to set matters straight regarding a ruling by FIFA against his involvement with Simpaul Travel Service and its allocation of tickets for the World Cup finals in Germany from June 9 to July 9.
On Thursday, FIFA ruled that Warner violated its Code of Ethics through his involvement with Simpaul?s Travel Service, the local travel agency of which Warner and other members of his family are directors.At its meeting in Zurich late Wednesday, under the chairmanship of Senes Erzik of Turkey, the Committee for Ethics and Fairplay dealt with Warner?s involvement with Simpaul?s.
It concluded that Warner?s association with Fifa and his directorship at Simpaul?s was a conflict of interest with regard to ticketing for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
The committee noted that it was Warner who had himself brought the matter to the committee?s attention.
However, it took no action against Warner but will have further discussion on the matter at its the FIFA Executive Committee meeting on March 16.
Following is the full text of Warner?s letter:
I returned to Trinidad and Tobago late last night (Thursday) after attending two FIFA meetings in Zurich.
One with the Ethics and Fair Play Committee at 5 pm on Wednesday, February 15, which I had personally summoned and another of the Fifa Under-17 World Cup at 9 am on Thursday 16, which meeting I chaired.
Since returning at 11pm last night (Thursday), I have been assailed by queries of various kinds by persons of all walks of life on a decision of the FIFA Ethics and Fair Play Committee.
In an effort to set the record straight, I do wish to advise the following:
1. On January 18, 2006, I wrote the FIFA general secretary and asked him to refer the conduct of the sale and distribution of FIFA World Cup tickets ?to the FIFA Ethics and Fair Play Committee and/or the FIFA Executive Committee in an effort at total transparency and moreover, to ascertain whether I have transgressed any ethical actions of any kind. Here I refer specifically to Clauses 2, 3 and 4 of the Fifa Code of Ethics prepared pursuant to Article 7 of the FIFA Statutes.?
I do wish to reiterate that the above-referenced initiative was taken by me.
2. On January 26, 2006, I asked the FIFA to send someone to do an audit of the sale and distribution of the FIFA World Cup tickets by the T&T Football Federation (T&TFF) and its agent Simpaul?s Travel Service. The Fifa responded in the affirmative.
It is informative to note that the FIFA and the Organising Committee Germany 2006 fully agreed and accepted Simpaul?s role as authorised by the T&TFF.
I again do wish to reiterate that the above-referenced exercise was initiated by me.
3. On Friday, February 10, 2006, Enrique Byrom of FIFA Ticketing and Accommodation came to Trinidad to conduct the audit, which audit began the said night and was concluded in the wee hours of Sunday, February 12.
The official left fully satisfied, thanked the T&TFF and us for the high level of transparency in the sale and distribution of tickets and for the co-operation given generally.
A copy of his report to the general secretary of the FIFA, Dr Urs Linsi is attached. (Attachment I)
4. On Wednesday, February 15, the Ethics and Fair Play Committee met at FIFA House and on the basis of the Byrom report concluded that because of the involvement of Simpaul?s Travel Service in the sale and distribution of the FIFA World Cup tickets assigned to the T&TFF, ?there has been a conflict of interest.?
I asked the committee to make the findings public and to refer the matter to the FIFA Executive Committee at its next meeting scheduled for March 16/17, 2006.
The above is just to set the record straight.
