FIFA overturns Warners attempt to deny reporter accreditation

25.01.2006

In an about-turn, FIFA has now decided to grant accreditation to cover the World Cup to reporter Lasana Liburd of the Trinidad Express. Earlier in January, Liburd was denied accreditation by the local Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (T&TFF) after writing a series of articles which incurred the wrath of FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

A press officer with the T&TFF has told Lasana Liburd that Jack Warner personally vetoed Liburd’s request for accreditation. And at a press conference for the initiation of a FIFA Goal Project in Antigua, Jack Warner insisted he had the full support of FIFA in denying Lasana Liburd accreditation.

“How could you attack the FIFA, Jack Warner and Blatter in the worst way and then want to cover the sport that these people administer?” Warner asked.

However, it seems that Jack Warner did not have the full support of FIFA in this matter. After some correspondence, Andreas Herren, head of FIFA’s Media Department, asked Lasana Liburd to apply directly to him for accreditation.

On 24 January, FIFA confirmed that Lasana Liburd would receive a press pass for the World Cup – eight days after the official deadline for global accreditation expired.

FIFA overturns Warners attempt to deny reporter accreditation

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