By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich
May 29 – The four Executive Committee members, including Trinidad’s Jack Warner, accused by the former chairman of England’s 2018 World Cup bid chairman David Triesman of seeking sweeteners have been cleared by an independent report commissioned by the Football Association, FIFA disclosed today.
Triesman, who was also FA chairman until being forced to resign in a newspaper sting, told British MPs earlier this month that Warner, Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay, Ricardo Teixeira of Brazil and Worawi Makudi of Thailand engaged in “improper and unethical” conduct.
Triesman alleged that all of them had personally asked him for favours in return for voting for England in December’s World Cup ballot.
Russia eventually won by a landslide with England eliminated in the first round after securing just two votes.
The FA has not released details of the report but FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke stole their thunder at a news conference following today’s Ethics Committee hearing.
“I have just got the FA report – it’s a big report, 200 pages, which we asked for after Triesman’s allegations and I hope FIFA will agree to make it public because all the people here – and especially Mr Teixera and Mr Makudi – are completely clean of all the allegations made by David Triesman a few weeks ago,” said Valcke.
“I’m glad the person appointed by the FA took time to hear not only Triesman but also David Dein, Simon Johnson, Andy Anson and other people who were part of the bid.”
Triesman had alleged that Warner, who was suspended from all football-related activity by FIFA’s Ethics Committee today following investigations into the separate bribery scandal, asked for $2.5 million (£1.5 million) to pay for an education centre in Trinidad; that Leoz, President of the South American Confederation, had asked for a knighthood; that Makudi demanded television rights to an England friendly; and that Teixeira had said “you come and tell me what you have for me”.
All four denied the claims.
Waving a ring binder in the air in triumphant fashion, Valcke revealed Triesman’s account was even disputed by Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards.
“Dave Richards has not said he heard Jack Warner ask for money in his presence, or ask for funds to be channeled through him,” said Valcke.
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