The row between FIFA Vice President Jack Warner and British sports writer Andrew Jennings took a physical turn yesterday morning at the Piarco International Airport after Warner repeatedly pushed the international journalist and accosted a member of his camera crew.
By Julien NeavesWarner and the Trinidad and Tobago national football players were returning from a road tour in Tobago, following a 1-1 draw in a friendly match against Peru on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at approximately 8.30 a.m. when Warner was approached by Jennings and his BBC camera crew.
The sports writer extended his hand to Warner but instead of greeting him, Warner began pushing and berating him on footage captured by a TV6 camera.
"Leave me alone nah boy, leave me alone," Warner told Jennings as he pushed him repeatedly.
As Warner made his way to the tour bus he also challenged a BBC camera man to which Jennings shouted "leave him alone".
The sports writer was prevented from approaching Warner by a member of his entourage who attempted to pull the FIFA Vice President away.
Jennings, however, continued to press Warner for information which appeared to anger him further.
"Why is it your family always get the juiciest FIFA contracts?" Jennings asked the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation's Special Advisor.
Jennings was referring to alleged deals from which the Warner's family benefitted including the the exclusive rights to the selling off World Cup tickets by Simpaul's Travel Agency then owned by the Warner family.
For this he was brought before a FIFA tribunal but received no punishment except an order that the Warners cut ties with the travel agency.
Police officers quickly intervened in the row keeping the two parties separate. Warner was unwillingly escorted onto the tour bus and Jennings led out of the area by the police.
The sports writer is currently visiting this country to promote his new book "Foul", an expose on alleged corrupt practices by FIFA 's officials including President Sepp Blatter and Warner.
In a recent press release Warner accused Jennings of being in collusion with the PNM and Express sports writer Lasana Liburd in a defamation plot against him.
He had also accused Jennings of attempting to physically prevent him from addressing a UNC rally and expressed his suspicion that Jennings had wanted to cause an "incident".
Jennings told TV6 news that the BBC will be issuing a formal statement on his assault.
