FORMER Strike Squad captain Clayton Morris and former Soca Warriors manager Bruce Aanensen are both saddened, but not surprised, that former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has lost his challenge to his extradition to the United States to face fraud-related charges. Morris and Aanensen reflected on what Warner meant to TT football, saying he contributed to the growth.
On Thursday, five Privy Council judges – Lords Hodge, Briggs, Hamblem, Burrows, and Sir Declan Morgan – delivered their decision on Warner’s challenge. The Privy Council held the request for Warner’s extradition was not unfair.
The decision came just days before the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday. A lot of controversies surrounded the selection of Qatar as World Cup hosts including bribery, corruption and how construction workers were treated in building stadiums for the event.
The decision on Thursday also came a week after Netflix released FIFA Uncovered which highlighted the allegations of corruption in the world football body.
“It is always sad when you hear these things about another human being and more so somebody who has been part of your development…as a youth you look towards senior people,” Morris said.
“I remember as a youth struggling on the Under-19 (TT) team and you hear this name Jack Warner. It was an honour and a privilege to meet this individual in person.”
Morris said it’s unfortunate Warner may have made some wrong decisions. “Mr Warner has contributed to the person I am today…getting the news this morning (Thursday) I also felt a sort of sadness, a sort of sympathy. At the same time, I remember my Granny saying however you make up your bed is how you expect to sleep…you have to live your life with the end in mind. He has to know what he was involved in so then he has to know what is expected of him now as he is faced with this situation.”
According to the US charge sheet against him, Warner is accused of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery; and allegedly, from the early 1990s, he “began to leverage his influence and exploit his official positions for personal gain.”
He also allegedly accepted a million-dollar bribe from South African officials in return for voting to award them the 2010 World Cup and allegedly bribed officials with envelopes each containing cash. Warner, who was also head of Concacaf, was banned from all football activities for life by FIFA.
Aanensen, the Soca Warriors team manager at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, said, “This is very unfortunate. My view is that Jack has done a tremendous amount of good for TT football.”
Aanensen was not shocked by the news. “It is not surprising given all the things we have heard about FIFA over the years and how they operate. It is sad that a man like Jack who has put his whole life into football at 79 years old he is being pulled before the courts and he could well go to prison. It is not a nice thought at all. Even if people who may feel he is guilty you still need to feel a sense of sympathy for the fella. He gave
