Triesman accuses Fifa ExCo members of Corruption

Friday, 13th May 2011 at 10:25am

In an extraordinary three-hour British parliamentary session, Lord Triesman, one-time leader of the England 2018 World Cup bid, has alleged that four members of the Fifa Executive Committee (ExCo) asked him for incentives and honours in return for their support.

CONCACAF President Jack Warner, Nicolas Loez, the head of Paraguay's FA; Ricardo Teixera of the Brazilian FA, and Worawi Makudi of Thailand were all named and shamed by the former bid head, who stood down last May after his secretary recorded a private conversation between the two about the bid process and released it to the media.

In addition to the four named by Triesman, Conservative MP Damien Collins informed the session that evidence submitted by the Sunday Times newspaper implicated two other members of the ExCo, Fifa Vice-President Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and the Ivory Coast's Jacques Anouma.

These six, in addition to Nigerian Amos Adamu and Tahitian Renald Temarii, suspended in November after they were exposed by The Times for asking for bribes in return for votes, takes the total to eight, one third of the ExCo that decides the host nations of forthcoming World Cups.

Trinidadian Warner was quick to refute Triesman's claims, describing them as "a piece of nonsense".

Speaking to Sky Sports, Warner added: "I've never asked Triesman nor any other person, Englishman or otherwise, for any money for my vote at any time."

Triesman said that he now plans to take the evidence to Fifa and John Whittingham, chairman of the committee established to review governance of football in England and the failure of the 2018 bid, said he would be writing to Fifa President Sepp Blatter asking him to set up an investigation into the evidence.

Blatter has promised to take swift action should any evidence reveal wrongdoing among the ExCo.

"I was shocked [upon hearing] but one has to see the evidence," he said.

"They are coming from other confederations, so I cannot say that they are all angels or all devils.

"There is a new round of information. Give us time to digest that and start the investigation by asking for evidence on what has been said.

"We will react immediately against all those in breach of the ethics code rules.

"Zero tolerance is going through Fifa, it is one of the items on the Congress. It is my battle horse."

The Dirty Half-Dozen:

Issa Hayatou of Cameroon and Jacques Arouma of the Ivory Coast allegedly received payment of $1.5 million to support the 2022 Qatar vote.

Jack Warner, CONCACAF president, is alleged to have asked for 2.5 million to build a school in Trinidad and later allegedly asked for 500,000 to secure World Cup TV rights for Haiti.

Paraguay's Nicolas Loez is believed to have asked for a knighthood.

Brazilian Ricardo Teixera is alleged to have told Triesman to "come see me and tell me what you have for me".

While Thailand's Worawi Mukadi is said to have requested the broadcasting rights to an England v Thailand friendly that would have been staged this year.

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