By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner (pictured), who resigned over the infamous cash-for-votes scandal, has been plunged into yet more controversy, this time over alleged broken promises to players about World Cup bonuses.
A High Court judge in Port-of-Spain has ordered the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) to have Warner, who used to be its special advisor, hand over all “relevant documents” regarding to finances of the country’s participation in the 2006 World Cup.
In his 11-page ruling, Justice Devindra Rampersad dismissed an application for Warner to be joined as a defendant in the proceedings brought against the federation by 14 former national players, including goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and striker Kenwyne Jones.
In 2007, the players, who represented Trinidad and Tobago when the country made its World Cup debut in Germany, filed a claim that referred to agreements made “at a series of meetings” between their representatives and the national governing body.
In the latest move of a case that dragged on for years, the high court ruled that the TTFF should direct Warner in writing, with copies to the attorneys for the players, “to file an account of all monies received by him in relation to all income, donations, gifts, grants or benefits whatsoever and all expenditure…arising out of the World Cup 2006”.
This, the judge said, had to be done by February 10.
Back in 2010, Hislop (pictured above right playing against Sweden at Germany 2006) pointed the finger squarely at Warner.
“Warner made promises,” he was quoted as saying.
“We were told we would get 50 per cent of all the commercial money.
“When we were eventually told what that would be it was TT$5,000 (£507/$779/€607) a man – we knew it could not be.
“There were contracts made that we signed with adidas and a number of other companies around Trinidad and Tobago.
“I felt very let down.
“It was our proudest moment as a football nation and once the offer was made of TT$5,000 a man we felt desperately let down.
“It was a slap in the face of everything we had done and how we had made the country feel.”
Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1734931305labto1734931305ofdlr1734931305owedi1734931305sni@w1734931305ahsra1734931305w.wer1734931305dna1734931305
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