Richard Conway's posterous

The FA operates a comprehensive anti-doping programme which is the largest of any sport in the UK. The FA prohibits all the doping offences listed in the World Anti-Doping Agency code and applies all the sanctions laid down in the Code for those offences. In addition, The FA, supported by all the football stakeholders, recognise the issues that social drugs may cause and choose to go beyond the WADA Code by proactively testing all samples for social drugs, irrespective of whether the tests are conducted in or out of competition. Football is one of the only sports in the UK that ban social drugs at all times, and were the first to do so. Any player who tests positive for a social drug out of competition is charged and subject to a sanction which ordinarily includes a suspension from all football activity for a period of up to six months for a first time offence. They are also subject to target testing for a period of two years. The FA do not report the name of the player as this offence is not a WADA Code offence and privacy allows for the player to undergo any necessary rehabilitation and counselling. All England representative teams are subject to UEFA and FIFA regulations whilst Premier and Football League clubs and players are subject to strict FA whereabouts regulations. Players are drug tested on a no-advance notice basis. Testing can take place at matches, training grounds, player’s home addresses and locations abroad. 70% of all FA drug tests are conducted out of competition, as recognised by WADA as the most effective means of deterring and detecting doping. Any club or player in breach of The FA whereabouts regulations are subject to disciplinary processes. In addition to the testing programme, The FA, along with its stakeholders, engages all professional and youth players in a comprehensive education programme every year. [ends] Notes to editors: With regards to any figures quoted by Dispatches relating to ‘abandoned or missed tests’, please note ‘abandoned tests’ results refer to a period over three years where there were an average of 80 abandoned tests a season. The number of 80 is arrived at by the fact on c.20 occasions each season a tester has arrived a venue, to test four participants at one time, only to find training schedules have been changed – this averages out at just five abandoned missions per league per season. These include all club’s youth and reserve teams as well. All bans are listed here by UKAD: http://www.ukad.org.uk/index.php?year=0&qtr=0&sport=0&body=34&class=0&substan...

In response to Blazer's LIE

Having read with amazement Chuck Blazer’s claim that monies I paid him were in repayment of a personal loan, I have decided after much deliberation to set the record straight in regard to the payments in question.

The payment I made to Blazer of $250,000 was the last of three payments which together totalled $750,000. The earlier payments were for $295,000 and $205,000. These were absolutely not in repayment for any loan. I have never had occasion to borrow money from Blazer. These monies were paid from the Carribean Football Union’s account with funds received from FIFA. I do not know why Blazer is pretending otherwise.

I would like to add that Blazer was a trusted friend of mine. In 1990, against the advice of the late Werner Fricker, I appointed Chuck Blazer as General Secretary of CONCACAF. In 1996, this time against the pleas of Alan Rothenberg, I had him appointed to the FIFA Executive Commitee. In 2007, the FIFA leadership suggested all General Secretaries be removed from the FIFA Executive Committee yet I begged their indulgence and was successful in keeping “Chuckie” on as a member.

However, I began to become concerned with Blazer several years ago when I became aware of the large sums he was earning from commissions. He refused to respond fully to my questions in regard to them. As a result, since 2004 I have refused to sign any contract with his company Sportvertising, demanding that first he make a complete declaration of his earnings. Up to this point in time, neither he nor his company has any valid contract with CONCACAF.

His attitude significantly deteriorated when, after I had paid him the total of $750,000, I told him that I would not pay an additional $250,000 that he was requesting be forwarded to his private account - unless he provided me with a complete accounting of his CONCACAF earnings. Instead of providing this accounting, Blazer treacherously planned and coordinated an attack on myself and the CFU. Only when there is a full accounting at Concacaf will the whole truth come to light.

For the time being, I will say no more on this matter.

Regards

Jack Warner

Chuck Blazer email to Sky News following allegations in The Independent on Sunday on 14th August 2011 - ind.pn/pPpohG

In a subsequent email I asked him directly if he denied being under FBI investigation. He replied "Yes, this as well."

"Mr. Jennings is an unreliable blogger who doesn't care much for accuracy or the facts.

In the instance of the mentioned 250k payment, Mr. Warner owed me the payment of a loan for over 5 years in the amount remitted.  I was dismayed when he sent it with his accountant drawn on the CFU account, but was told by the accountant not to worry, it would be properly reflected to show that it was his money. Since then, Jack has resigned, but has not turned over the checking accounts of the CFU to their Executive Committee and Secretariat.  I have had to bail them out by providing offices to them in our Miami CONCACAF offices to operate the regions competitions.  Once he has turned over the accounts, we will be able to determine, whether as described by the accountant, the funds were Jack's, or if they were not.

I have previously stated that if they were not properly Jack's funds, as they alleged, then I would return it to the CFU.

At this point, Jack continues to thwart the progress of the CFU by not giving them access to their accounts and locking the CFU staff out of the office, while providing space for four accounting personnel paid by CONCACAF and now exposed as working for the WGOC (Warner Group of Companies).  How absurd.

We are sending investigators into Trinidad to  get the information from the banks and to protect our assets.

Mr. Jennings should be more astute about where his stories come from and what their objectives are.  Ours is to clean up the mess that surrounded Jack Warner in Port of Spain."

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Statement from CONCACAF Acting President Lisle Austin

“In its Ruling yesterday the Bahamian Court held that CONCACAF is in contempt of court as a result of its disobedience of the terms of the Order dated 10 June, 2011.  As a result of the contempt, the Court did not allow CONCACAF to proceed with its hearing to discharge the order. Therefore, the injunction against CONCACAF remains in place.

The organization cannot interfere with my ability to perform my duties as Acting President.  It is my intention to lead CONCACAF into an era of transparency, accountability and reform. I will begin to assume my responsibilities at CONCACAF’s offices in New York at a specified time in the very near future and will move forward with a forensic accounting review of all of CONCACAF’s financial operations for the past five years. Under the judge’s order, I should have access to all files and information necessary to conduct such an audit. 

There are indications of questionable financial activities and CONCACAF – and association football – cannot advance until a full and transparent  examination of the organization is complete. I plan on engaging with all CONCACAF stakeholders, including our corporate sponsors, to join me in this process.  If groups or individuals choose to stand in the way, I will again be forced to take matters to the courts.”

Sky News has obtained a copy of the court order that deposed Acting President Lisle Austin is seeking to impose on his own football federation, CONCACAF. It was initially granted on June 10th 2011. FIFA have dismissed its validity saying that there should be no recourse to "normal" courts according to CONCACAF's own statutes. See @richard_conway on Twitter for more.