Warner claims he was set up in ticket scandal

Jack Warner's defence is that he was set up by FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi over allegations that he sold tickets for the World Cup at five times their face value.

Warner, a FIFA vice-president, was accused last week by auditors Ernst & Young of reselling a minimum of 5,400 tickets to tour operators, violating at least four of FIFA's bylaws. The case in now in front of a disciplinary panel that could expel Warner from FIFA.

Warner countered with a 12-page document compiled by Chicago lawyer John Collins and Swiss attorney Mark Bruppacher, who claimed Warner was the victim of an "incomplete" and "fatally flawed" investigation by Ernst & Young.

Bruppacher stated that Warner ordered only 81 tickets for the World Cup, apart from those received on behalf of the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation. Warner also claimed he purchased 180 World Cup tickets with his credit card, under "duress" from Jaime Byrom, an official in FIFA's ticket office.

Warner said he also had "concerns" about the actions of Linsi, who he alleges leaked the documents concerning the case to an English newspaper. He has instructed Bruppacher to bring charges for defamation, and to take action for violation of his personal rights.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.