Lisle Austin has promised to lead CONCACAF into an era of transparency, accountability, and reform, following a Bahamian court decision that prevented the confederation from proceeding with a hearing to discharge a contempt of court order.
The embattled football executive had been fighting to retain his post as acting CONCACAF president, following the widely-publicized departure of former president Jack Warner.
Barbadian Austin was removed by the executive committee recently for an apparent violation of the organization’s statutes, but won a court order earlier this month.
“The organization cannot interfere with my ability to perform my duties as acting president,” said Austin in a media release yesterday.
“I will begin to assume my responsibilities at CONCACAF’s offices in New York at a specified time in the very near future, and will move forward with a forensic accounting review of all of CONCACAF’s financial operations for the past five years.”
Austin said that he should have access to all files and information necessary to conduct such an audit under order of the judge in the Bahamas, where CONCACAF is a registered company.
“There are indications of questionable financial activities and CONCACAF – and association football – cannot advance until a full and transparent examination of the organization is complete,” he said.
“I plan on engaging with all CONCACAF stakeholders, including our corporate sponsors, to join me in this process.
“If groups or individuals choose to stand in the way, I will again be forced to take matters to the courts.”
Football’s World governing body, FIFA, said recently that it recognised Honduran Alfredo Hawit as the acting president of CONCACAF. (CMC)
