Soca Warriors claim they will not give up on World Cup bonuses

By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

May 22 – A group of Trinidad and Tobago players, led by Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones, have held a press conference in Port-of-Spain to warn that they will not give up on trying to get the bonuses they claim they are still owed for playing in the 2006 World Cup.

Seven of the 13 players, including Jones and Darlington goalkeeper Kelvin Jack, involved in the four-year dispute held the conference along with their London-based lawyer Mike Townley to dispute claims by FIFA vice-president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special advisor Jack Warner that the matter had been settled.

The players won an arbitration hearing in 2008 before the London-based Sport Dispute Resolution Panel (SDRP), granting them 50 per cent of all World Cup revenue from Germany 2006.

A day later, the Trinidad Guardian reported the results of the arbitration, which had been placed under gag order.

Since September 2008, that matter has been in the local courts and the players are still waiting for a final decision.

The players claim that each is owed between TT$1.9-$3.4 million (£210,000-£370,000).

Townley said: ”There’s a phrase, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’.

“Well we have no justice.

“We can delay this forever [but] that means we get no justice.”

Warner, who is the chairman of the opposition United Congress Nation (UNP), claimed that the press conference was politically motivated which is why it has been held to coincide with Trinidad and Tobago’s elections, which are due to be held on Monday (May 24).

Townley said: “This press conference is not about the elections.

“It is about us not getting paid.

“It has been called at this time because statements have been made that we’ve been paid and we haven’t been paid.”

Warner claimed that the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM) was behind the press conference and that it was another attempt to discredit him.

He said: ”I am in the middle of campaigning for an election, [and] if the players think they can distract me from that they are mistaken.”

But Jack, who won 33 caps for Trinidad, including playing one match at the World Cup in Germany, hit back at Warner.

He said: ”Mr Warner has been trying to discredit us.

“He has been saying we are greedy, but you tell me: who is the greedy party here.

“Who’s the greedy person?”

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