Soccer

CONCACAF President Accused of Soliciting Bribes to Buy Haiti World Cup TV Rights

The Vice-President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and President of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) is being accused of ethics violations pertaining to the rights to broadcast Haiti's World Cup Matches.

The Former Chairman of England's Football Association, David Triesman, having failed at securing a bid for the World Cup in London, 2018 hurled accusations at 4 high ranking executives of FIFA which included the CONCACAF President.

Before the British Parliament, Triesman said that the Trinidad and Tobago-based CONCACAF President who also serves as FIFA Vice-President, Austin "Jack" Warner, requested $4.1 million dollars for an educational center in Trinidad and $850,000 to secure Haiti's World Cup TV rights that he had already owned.

Sky Sports has reported Warner as saying that the allegations are "a piece of nonsense."

“I have never asked anyone for any money for my vote at any time,” Sky quoted Warner as saying. “I have been a FIFA member for 29 years and these allegations will astound anyone who knows me, including David Dein and Geoff Thompson.”

Other Allegations

FIFA executives, Nicolas Leoz, Ricardo Teixeira and Worawi Makudi were also singled out by Triesman at the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Hearing in the British House of Commons on Monday. Triesman confirmed he will be taking the claims to the head of FIFA as well.

Triesman's claims against Paraguay's FIFA member Nicolas Leoz is that he asked for knighthood in exchange for his vote.

Allegations against Brazil's FIFA member Ricardo Terra Teixeira stem from him allegedly asking Triesman to "come and tell me what you have got for me".

Thailand's FIFA member Worawi Makudi allegedly wanted to be given the TV rights to a friendly between England and the Thai national team, according to Lord Triesman.

Triesman added: "These were some of the things that were put to me personally, sometimes in the presence of others, which in my view did not represent proper and ethical behaviour on the part of members of the executive committee."

The FIFA members have denied any wrongdoing.

Related 03.01.2011: FHF Report on the Expulsion of the U-17s from the CONCACAF Tournament, Jamaica
Related 02.23.2011: Outgoing President Holds Door Open for U17 Team
Related 02.16.2011: Haiti Forced Out of World Cup Qualifiers
Related 02.16.2011: Haiti withdraws from CONCACAF Under-17 tournament
Source: ESPN , EuroSport , Bloomberg , Sky Sports