By Duncan Mackay
June 7 – Chuck Blazer has promised that it is business as normal at CONCACAF despite the confusion surrounding his own position following the suspension of FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.
Lisle Austin, who replaced Warner as the interim President of the organisation following his provisional suspension by FIFA’s Ethics Committee for his alleged role, along with Mohamed Bin Hammam, in trying to bribe members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), claimed that Blazer had been fired as secretary general.
Blazer denied the claims and Austin was then suspended by CONCACAF’s Executive Committee, being replaced by Honduran official Alfredo Hawit.
The row has cast a shadow over the Gold Cup, which kicked-off in Dallas on Sunday (June 5) with Costa Rica beating Cuba 5-0 in the opening match of the tournament.
“I recognise that there was great interest certainly in what our activities have been and what has been going on both in CONCACAF and with the Gold Cup,” said Blazer, a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee.
“I came to assure you that everything is normal, that things are business as usual and that the Cup you see is very much the Cup that you have seen before and the same one that you will see in the future.”
Blazer was the FIFA whistleblower who compiled the evidence which led to Warner and Bin Hammam’s suspensions.
“It’s regrettable at this point, from a political point of view, that there is some confusion that will be resolved,” he said.
I know that FIFA and ourselves will ultimately have this situation resolved and resolved for the better.
“Right now all I can tell you is that everything is in good hands.
“[FIFA] can have confidence in the future because this is a major effort to do things in the right way.
“And if we accomplish that at the end of this entire process, then we will have done a lot of good for the right reasons.
“Everything that you see now is being done at the direction of the Executive Committee.
“I am in place as the general secretary and you will have a wonderful Gold Cup and I want everyone to know that you will have my full cooperation during this entire tournament.”
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