Warner claims FIFA traded TV rights for votes

• AP, Friday, December 30, 2011 1:45 PM

Former FIFA vice president Jack Warner said Thursday he was awarded World Cup television rights for as little as $1 in return for helping Sepp Blatter get votes for his successful quest for the FIFA presidency in 1998.

Warner, former president of regional body Concacaf and the Caribbean Football Union, also said he was sold the rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups after helping Blatter get re-elected in 2002, and later bought the 2010 and 2014 rights. He also he declined an offer from Blatter earlier his year as the incumbent faced a challenge from Asian Football Confederation president Mohammed bin Hamman, to whom Warner switched his allegiance before an unrelated corruption scandal prompted bin Hamman to withdraw his candidacy. Blatter was re-elected unopposed.

“In 2011, in exchange for my support in the FIFA presidential election, the FIFA again offered me the sale of the World Cup Rights for 2018 and 2022 as a ‘gift’ at a nominal fee,” Warner said. He also claimed FIFA agreed to give CONCACAF a combined total of $1 million for soccer development projects.

In his role as president of the Caribbean Football Union, Warner said he re-sold rights to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

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