England 2018 bid official makes Jack Warner accusation

The former chairman and deputy chairman of England's failed 2018 World Cup bid have told The Times that they refused a request from FIFA vice-president Jack Warner to fund the construction of an education centre in his native Trinidad.

Lord Triesman, who was chairman of the bid as well as the Football Association at the time of the meeting in October 2009, and the bid's deputy chairman at the time Sir Dave Richards, say they met with Warner at a London hotel where the question was asked.

Warner, who as president of the North and Central American confederation CONCACAF was seen as being in control of three votes on the FIFA executive committee, denies that the meeting ever took place.

Triesman said Warner's request was dismissed as being "out of the question". Rules on tournament bidding do not allow bid officials to offer gifts or other advantages to delegates.

Richards told the newspaper: "He (Warner) didn't say: 'Do this and I'll vote for you'. But it was always at the back of my mind. I did nod my head at Triesman as if to say 'let's not get into this'.

"It was an education project that he wanted to build, and he wanted someone else to fund it.

"What he said was England should be building this kind of education block as a legacy throughout the world. He did say Trinidad and Tobago wanted one. He said it was an education set-up that he wanted for the children of Trinidad and Tobago.

"I never discussed this with the chairman of the FA again. I didn't want to get involved in that sort of thing. I don't know if the FA took it any further."

Warner dismissed the duo's claims as "b*******" when they were put to him by The Times.

Last year the Sunday Times newspaper led an investigation which resulted in the suspension of FIFA executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii for three years and one year respectively, who were found guilty of breaching FIFA rules after they asked for cash from undercover reporters in return for their votes.