Trinidad and Tobago has decided not to send former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner to the United States, where he was facing corruption charges. A judge made this ruling on Tuesday, bringing an end to a legal battle that lasted for 10 years.
Jack Warner, who is now 82 years old, was once a powerful figure in world football. However, his reputation was destroyed after the huge FIFA corruption scandal in 2015. That scandal shook the entire football world, leading to arrests of top officials in Zurich by the FBI and punishments for many high-ranking members of FIFA. Warner himself was banned for life from football by FIFA.
Back in May 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice accused Warner of serious crimes, including racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and bribery. They issued an arrest warrant and wanted him extradited (sent) from his home country, Trinidad and Tobago, to stand trial in America. But the case dragged on for a decade as Warner’s legal team fought the extradition in court.
On Tuesday, Judge Karen Reid of the High Court ruled that the extradition could not go forward because the agreement between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States was legally flawed. Warner’s lawyer, Fyard Hosein, argued that when the arrest warrant was issued in 2015, there was no valid extradition treaty in effect between the two countries. The judge agreed, saying the process must be permanently stopped. As a result, Warner is now free from custody.
During the case, Warner had been out on bail, which was set at $370,000, while he continued to challenge the U.S. request. American authorities claimed that Warner had abused his powerful position in football for personal profit. They accused him of being part of a bribery scheme connected to the 2010 World Cup and highlighted his role in the controversial voting that gave Russia and Qatar the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.
After Tuesday’s ruling, Warner expressed his feelings to AFP, saying that nothing could erase the suffering and humiliation he went through over the past ten years. He also reminded people about his time in custody during the case.
Warner is still remembered in Trinidad and Tobago for leading the country’s football federation when the national team qualified for its first and only World Cup in 2006, which was a historic moment forthe nation.
