Jack Warner (football executive)

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Jack Warner (football executive) bigraphy, stories - Trinidad and Tobago football executive

Jack Warner (football executive) : biography

26 January 1943 –

Austin "Jack" Warner (born 26 January 1943) is a Trinidad and Tobago politician, businessman, and former football executive. Warner held the offices of Vice president of FIFA and President of CONCACAF until his suspension and eventual resignation from these roles in 2011. He is also the former Minister of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago and was an elected member of that country’s parliament from November 2007 to 26 April 2013. A former school teacher (history), he is the owner of Joe Public F.C., a professional football club based in Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago.

Warner had been a member of the FIFA Executive Committee since 1983, and CONCACAF President since 1990. He was re-elected for a new term in the spring of 2011. During his tenure, Warner was implicated in numerous corruption allegations some of which date back to the 1980s. On 24 May 2011 FIFA’s ethics committee began official proceedings against Warner concerning at least three separate corruption and bribery charges. On 29 May 2011 Warner and Mohammed bin Hammam were provisionally suspended by FIFA’s Ethics Committee from all involvement in soccer, pending the outcome of the investigation of corruption allegations against them. FIFA press release, 29 May 2011.

On 18 April 2013, The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (“CONCACAF”) published its Integrity Committee report into the affairs of the Warner-led CONCACAF regime. The Committee concluded that Warner committed fraud against CONCACAF and FIFA.

Political career

In October 2007 Warner was elected United National Congress Alliance chairman and co-leader, to lead the party into Trinidad and Tobago’s 2007 General Election. They won 15 of 41 seats and Warner was elected as the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West. Patrick Manning’s PNM government, which had comfortably won the 2007 election, called an election less than three years into its mandate. Warner’s UNC party formed a coalition with four other parties and won 24 May 2010 elections by a landslide margin of 29 of 41 seats in parliament. Warner was re-elected in Chaguanas West with the highest national vote total. Warner has described the previous Trinidadian administration as the "most corrupt ever", and has pledged to enforce hanging as a method of execution. Warner has said, "It is inconceivable to have 295 on death row awaiting the hangman…when no one is trying to apply the law".

After the 2010 election, Warner was appointed the Works and Transport Minister in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s government. Opposition leader Keith Rowley wrote to the Integrity Commission questioning Warner’s ability to be a FIFA Vice President, while also the Trinidad and Tobago Works and Transport Minister., [Newsday], Port of Spain, 18 June 2010. Government counsel concluded that Warner was not breaking any laws, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan also pointed out that Warner does not receive a salary from FIFA, Trinidad benefits from Warner’s appointment and his two positions were unlikely to conflict.

Although Warner was allowed to withdraw from football-related activities by FIFA with a presumption of innocence in the CFU scandal of 2011, a videotape played during FIFA’s disciplinary process was consequently made public. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar referred the videotape to the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago without endorsing or condemning Warner., Inside World Football 15 Oct 2011, by Andrew Warshaw.

Warner resigned as Minister of National Security on 21 April 2013 and was replaced by Emmanuel George.

Warner resigned as Chairman of the United National Congress on 22 April 2013.http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Media-reports-Jack-has-also-quit-as-UNC-chairman-204079481.html He resigned as the Member of Parliament for Chaguanas West on 26 April 2013.http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Jacks-Resignation-Letter-204892201.html

Football administrator

In 1966, Warner became General Secretary of the Central Football Association, and from 1971–1973 was General Secretary of the Central St. George Football Association.