Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner says he is not yet ready to speak about the football governing body's decision to ban Mohamed bin Hammam for life. He told reporters yesterday that it was not a good time to speak out about the issue.Warner, who was at the Moruga RC Church for the start of Heritage Week activities yesterday, did not give a direct answer when he was asked for his views on the FIFA ruling."If people believe that bin Hammam deserves what the FIFA Ethics Committee says they have given him, I have news for them," he said."In this country, everybody claims to be an expert but there is only one Fifa expert in this country and the only expert in FIFA is me."I say that unashamedly."This whole scenario hasn't played out yet; it isn't even half way there.
"In the fullest of time you will see."Probed further regarding his chances before the Ethics Committee, Warner said: "There is a time to speak and a time to stay quiet, and right now is a time to stay quiet."In the fullness of time everything will be revealed," he added.Bin Hammam has been banned from football for life, after being found guilty of attempting to buy votes ahead of last month's FIFA presidential election.The 62-year-old Qatari withdrew from the election, leaving Sepp Blatter to be re-elected unopposed.
Saturday's decision makes bin Hammam the most senior figure to be banned by FIFA in its 107-year history.The former head of the Asian Football Confederation is now unable to be involved "in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life," FIFA Ethics Committee deputy chairman Petrus Damaseb said.Bin Hammam, along with Warner, was suspended after a leaked report revealed that four Caribbean Football Union (CFU) associations were either offered money, or saw the offence occur, during a meeting in May.
It was alleged that cash-stuffed envelopes containing up to US$40,000 were handed to the delegates during the meeting at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain.The report said there was "comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming" proof that bribes had been paid to officials to support bin Hammam's campaign for the FIFA presidency, and that Warner had facilitated this.Warner's resignation from FIFA last month meant he did not have to face the Ethics Committee.Two other officials from the CFU, Trinidadians Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester, were each banned from football-related activity for a year for their involvement in the bribery attempt.