Warner quits FIFA, ethics case dropped
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Shanghai Daily, June 21, 2011
FIFA Vice President Jack Warner has resigned and an investigation into corruption allegations against him has been dropped, world soccer's governing body said yesterday.
Warner, who had been suspended pending an ethics committee probe into bribery claims, has quit from all his posts in international soccer including as CONCACAF president.
"FIFA regrets the turn of events that have led to Mr Warner's decision," FIFA said in a statement.
"As a consequence of Mr Warner's self-determined resignation, all ethics committee procedures against him have been closed and the presumption of innocence is maintained."
Trinidadian Warner was being investigated in a cash-for-votes scandal relating to the election campaign of then FIFA presidential candidate Mohammed bin Hammam that rocked the governing body earlier this month. They were accused of offering US$40,000 bribes to Caribbean voters during bin Hammam's campaign
Warner, who following his suspension had threatened to unleash a "football tsunami" by revealing contents of emails with FIFA president Sepp Blatter before backing down, had been involved with the governing body for nearly 30 years.
"His resignation has been accepted by world football's governing body, and his contribution to international football and to Caribbean football in particular and the CONCACAF confederation are appreciated and acknowledged," FIFA said.
CONCACAF is the regional governing body of North and Central America and the Caribbean and is currently holding the Gold Cup in the United States.
Warner had been a longtime ally of Blatter, who was re-elected as FIFA president when Qatar's bin Hammam dropped out of the election after being accused of corruption.
