Jack ponders legal action

The articles dealt specifically with Warner’s relationship with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) — he serves as the special advisor — in particular the ticketing arrangements made by Simpaul Travel Service Limited, for local supporters wishing to go to the World Cup finals in Germany in June.

During a 55-minute-long speech at a media conference yesterday in the Teak Room of the Crowne Plaza in Port-of-Spain, Warner said, instead of working on the team’s preparations with meetings in London this week, he was forced to defend his good name and that of his family against "the mischief and character assassination scribed by (the writer) in a series of libellous articles which appeared in the newspaper, beginning on Christmas Day."

"I have held lengthy discussions with my attorneys, family and members of the (United National Congress)," Warner said. "It was generally felt that it was sufficient to expose the story for what it is rather than to perpetuate its agenda by a lawsuit in light of the gross misrepresentations and inaccuracies even though I unreservedly withhold the right to do so at anytime."

Warner said he came close to filing a lawsuit, but his two lawyers felt that the case would be protracted, and they are waiting for a book entitled FOUL! How Soccer’s Leaders Run Rackets, Pocket Bribes, Rig Elections and Tout World Cup Tickets, written by both Liburd and Englishman Andrew Jennings, which is scheduled to be published in April.

"The timing is deliberate and is purported to bring disrepute to FIFA (particularly Warner and FIFA president Sepp Blatter) on the eve of the World Cup finals," he said.

He said Liburd was expected to serialise the book in the newspaper later this year.

"My family is sacrosanct, and when one goes out of his way to undeservingly malign them, one has crossed the rubicon... Liburd has just crossed!"

Warner revealed that claims made in the newspaper article that his family stands to benefit by $50 million through the sale of World Cup tickets have caused him to make a formal request for police protection for his family — wife Maureen and sons Daryan and Darryl.

"It is not a crime to be successful even for people like me, but no one should attempt to impute improper business practices and conflicts of interest to me when the reality has been that I have given selflessly to the cause of football and the aspiration of the nation’s interest in this area," he said.

He said Simpaul’s Travel has been the official tour operator for the TTFF since the 1994 World Cup finals.

"No application has yet been made to FIFA for World Cup tickets of any kind or category nor has any been assigned to Simpaul’s Travel Service," Warner said.

"No one in TT really knows who will get World Cup tickets, what quantity they will receive or the criteria which will be used in the determination of ticket allocation," he added.

On another charge that accountant Kenny Rampersad, from the firm Kenny Rampersad and Company, audits the TTFF and is a director of Simpaul’s, Warner said that is untrue.

He also refuted another allegation as then TTFF secretary, he admitted to printing 16,500 additional tickets for the November 19, 1989 match against the USA at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Mucurapo.

Warner later explained that the World Cup packages included tours of Europe and, depending on the demand for tickets, may have to be sold via a lottery system.

Warner’s son Daryan insisted that nobody is obligated to purchase the packages as they can make their own arrangements via the Internet.

Warner showed copies of the payments and receipts made to a European travel group, from July 19-September 17, at the cost of 586,692 euros (TT$4,458,859.20).

He repeatedly asked "where were Liburd and his friends" when his family house was mortgaged for local football’s survival in the 1980s; when TT gained one point after their first three CONCACAF Final Round qualifiers, when coach Leo Beenhakker and his staff were employed at US$100,000 per month; when CONCACAF grew from securing one spot in a World Cup to three-and-a-half; and when the GOAL 2014 project was launched last Wednesday.

Warner also adressed the claim that he purchased the local World Cup rights for US$1 in 1994 and sold it to CCN TV6 for US$250,000. "I will review the sale of these rights to his employers for the 2010 World Cup," he said.

"Your aim is to drive a wedge between the players and myself thereby destroying the unity and respect among us that is so critical to the success of the team," he said.

"I know these players from the time they were very young and whatever differences we may ever have had in the past, none of them distrusts me nor questions my best intentions," he said.