Little Jack Warner sat in his corner, and rolled back down again

By Laurence Plant / Roar Rookie

Surrounded by a whooping entourage, Jack Warner made the kind of sweeping threats and promises that would fit any kind of finished super villain.

In a press conference and in a privately-funded online video, while out on bail, Warner has attempted to convince the world he has “flipped” on the conspirators at FIFA, and can prove a link between key FIFA officials and the various scandals attached to his name.

The former FIFA vice-president and senior CONCACAF official – who once used his formidable influence to bring David Beckham and England to the tiny island of Trinidad and Tobago despite claiming “England has never made any impact on world football” – promised to reveal transactions, names, and a pile of documents a foot thick, in the wake of being arrested under an Interpol red notice.

Warner alleges his foot-thick pile of documents provides evidence implicating embattled ex-president-in-waiting Sepp Blatter.

“I will no longer keep secrets for them,” Warner pledged.

“Not even death will stop the avalanche that is coming… there can be no turning back… let the chips fall where they fall.”

“I reasonably actually fear for my life,” he added woefully.

Only problem is we have heard all of this from Warner before.

In 2011 as he faced a FIFA ethics committee over allegations of offering bribes to members of the Caribbean Football Union in exchange for votes in the FIFA presidential elections, Jack Warner issued dumfoundingly similar promises.

“In the next couple of days you will see a football tsunami that will hit FIFA and the world that will shock you,” he said in 2011.

“The time has come when I must stop playing dead and you’ll see it, trust me you’ll see it by now and Monday… I have been here for 29 consecutive years and if the worst happen, the worst happen.”

But in 2011 the promised tsunami never eventuated. Warner did lose his position as vice-president of FIFA, but it seemed he was content to hold on to his information and never offered anything meaningful. Ironically, in 2011 he even referenced his CONCACAF co-conspirator Blazer.

“I have lived three score and almost ten and if my Jack hasn’t been hanged yet, why should it be hung now? By whom? The American Chuck Blazer?” he asked.

Well, yes actually. Former FIFA executive Chuck Blazer has already spilled the beans on his co-conspirators, as part of a smart guilty-plea bargain which will probably see him given a minimal sentence for his involvement in return for turning FBI informant. A fundamental part of Blazer’s deal is pleading guilty to receiving $750,000 from Warner over the 2010 World Cup decision when Blazer was the head of CONCACAF.

The problem for Warner is that with Chuck Blazer, the US Department of Justice already has their rat. And he is singing loudly from the CONCACAF corruption song sheet. Had Warner actually unleashed his tsunami in 2011, he would probably not be in as much trouble as he is in now.

Whether Warner’s big pile of papers is released – or even indeed exists – will become known over the coming months as the US Department of Justice attempts to work their way up the corruption chain using the ‘inform or jail’ methodology that brought down the Mafia.

One thing is certain. Warner’s touted information tsunami will need to land Loretta Lynch a big fish to save his neck this time.

The Crowd Says:

2015-06-06T12:08:13+00:00

Luis

Guest


The program of corruption star long ago. 1966 in Ingland and 1978 in Argentina. This 2 World Cup was the most disgraceful sport events ever seen in the history of football.

AUTHOR

2015-06-06T05:21:21+00:00

Laurence Plant

Roar Rookie


I think even if FIFA suceeds in stopping bribes for WC votes, it's going to be very hard to stop other vote distortions such as countries donating money to football programs in poor countries, and countries working in alliances seeking to rotate the bid amongst themselves

2015-06-06T04:55:59+00:00

Mister Football

Roar Guru


According to some of the leading lights on this very tab, it is apparently a badge of honour that someone of that ilk, from a tin pot country, can be in such a position to pocket millions of dollars.

2015-06-06T04:39:56+00:00

Floyd Calhoun

Guest


It's astonishing to think this Warner character was once a Vice President. Of anything!!

AUTHOR

2015-06-06T03:25:09+00:00

Laurence Plant

Roar Rookie


It's interesting the US has claimed jurisdiction over this matter given that it was their financial system that was used to make the payments. I guess you could argue fair enough, but who is going to prosecute payments made through other networks? And is it right that some are prosecuted whilst others are not? Maybe future bribes will all be in Bitcoin.

AUTHOR

2015-06-06T03:23:14+00:00

Laurence Plant

Roar Rookie


Yeah you raise a good point, someone has to buy the vote for it to be sold. And I can't help but wonder, if the US had actually won WC 2022 would this investigation have taken place?

2015-06-06T03:16:00+00:00

James

Guest


yeah i think we need to be careful about how we go after some of the fifa people. bribery happens everywhere in business its just that in asia and more so africa its more open than it is in the west.

2015-06-06T00:08:16+00:00

Fussball ist unser leben

Roar Guru


"perhaps this is emblematic of how business is done in Asia It's not just allegedly corrupt Asians. It has been alleged bribery & corruption were involved to win hosting rights for World Cup > France 1998 > Germany 2006 Can't wait to hear what Jack Warner has to say about how USA won WC1994 hosting. Remember, USA didn't even have a professional football league when they won. Big business wanted USA. They didn't want Morocco or Brazil. It has been proven, or there have been admissions, bribery & corruption were involved to win hosting rights for Olympics > Atlanta 1996 > Sydney 2000 > Salt Lake 2002

2015-06-05T23:01:58+00:00

Laurie

Guest


Yeah there is so much pointing his way. I'm just disappointed how many AFC countries are involved in this - and they all voted to keep the current regime in place, despite a Jordanian opposing Blatter in the elections. But I can't help but think that perhaps this is emblematic of how business is done in Asia more broadly. Kick backs and favours are not just common place, they are actually part and parcel of daily business life. Bit of a culture clash I suspect.

2015-06-05T21:38:50+00:00

pete4

Guest


I think Warner will have his plate full if the latest allegations from Egypt FA are proved correct and he demanded $7m from them for his vote for 2010 World Cup

Read more at The Roar