ONCE sought for his support by Nelson Mandela and Britain's Prince William, Fifa vice-president Jack Warner's time at the heart of world football is over.
Warner's 28-year stretch among the most powerful men in the world's most popular sport ended on Monday amid an election bribery scandal - with his image tarnished but without having been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
By choosing to resign from all football duties, the president of Concacaf and the Caribbean Football Union ensured that Fifa closed its ongoing investigation into his part in alleged bribing of CFU leaders in his native Trinidad last month during the world governing body's presidential campaign.
The Trinidad and Tobago government minister therefore walks away in full possession of his political career, for now. The island's police had expressed interest in receiving any evidence Fifa unearthed.
Warner said he decided "to withdraw from Fifa affairs in order to spare Fifa, Concacaf and CFU and its membership, from further acrimony and divisiveness arising from this and related issues".
However, Fifa warned that its probe stays closed only for as long as he stays in football exile.
Warner still is required as a witness while Fifa's hired team of former FBI agents gathers evidence against failed presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.
Also facing a full ethics committee inquiry are two CFU staffers, who allegedly helped hand out the brown envelopes stuffed with $40000 (about R270000) in $100 notes to Caribbean officials who sat through the Qatari official's election pitch in Port of Spain on May 10.
That Warner effectively dodged his day in court will not surprise veteran Fifa-watchers.
The 68-year-old confederation boss has often been connected to alleged World Cup ticket scams and financial misdeeds, but always emerged unscathed.
When Fifa found that Warner's family-owned firm overcharged Trinidad and Tobago fans for ticket and travel deals to watch the national team play at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he was censured.
The family was ordered to pay $1million (R6,7million) to an international children's aid charity.
On Monday, Warner's farewell statement to international media was followed within an hour by a supplementary comment seeking to designate a loyal aide, Lisle Austin of Barbados, as his successor leading Concacaf.
Warner leaves Fifa with his image tarnished
ONCE sought for his support by Nelson Mandela and Britain's Prince William, Fifa vice-president Jack Warner's time at the heart of world football is over.
Warner's 28-year stretch among the most powerful men in the world's most popular sport ended on Monday amid an election bribery scandal - with his image tarnished but without having been found guilty of any wrongdoing.
By choosing to resign from all football duties, the president of Concacaf and the Caribbean Football Union ensured that Fifa closed its ongoing investigation into his part in alleged bribing of CFU leaders in his native Trinidad last month during the world governing body's presidential campaign.
The Trinidad and Tobago government minister therefore walks away in full possession of his political career, for now. The island's police had expressed interest in receiving any evidence Fifa unearthed.
Warner said he decided "to withdraw from Fifa affairs in order to spare Fifa, Concacaf and CFU and its membership, from further acrimony and divisiveness arising from this and related issues".
However, Fifa warned that its probe stays closed only for as long as he stays in football exile.
Warner still is required as a witness while Fifa's hired team of former FBI agents gathers evidence against failed presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.
Also facing a full ethics committee inquiry are two CFU staffers, who allegedly helped hand out the brown envelopes stuffed with $40000 (about R270000) in $100 notes to Caribbean officials who sat through the Qatari official's election pitch in Port of Spain on May 10.
That Warner effectively dodged his day in court will not surprise veteran Fifa-watchers.
The 68-year-old confederation boss has often been connected to alleged World Cup ticket scams and financial misdeeds, but always emerged unscathed.
When Fifa found that Warner's family-owned firm overcharged Trinidad and Tobago fans for ticket and travel deals to watch the national team play at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, he was censured.
The family was ordered to pay $1million (R6,7million) to an international children's aid charity.
On Monday, Warner's farewell statement to international media was followed within an hour by a supplementary comment seeking to designate a loyal aide, Lisle Austin of Barbados, as his successor leading Concacaf.
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