In London, Martyn Ziegler reports video evidence of former FIFA VP and CONCACAF President JACK WARNER “urging Caribbean officials to accept cash gifts” from former FIFA exec MOHAMED BIN HAMMAM has emerged. The recording of a speech made by Warner to members of the Caribbean Football Association on May 11 “is being used as evidence in FIFA ethics committee hearings into charges against 15 of those officials this week.” The video “shows Warner telling members they are not obliged to vote for Bin Hammam in the FIFA presidential election but that he had told the Qatari to bring cash.” Bin Hammam was “banned for life in July by FIFA's ethics committee but is appealing” (London INDEPENDENT, 10/12)…. Brazilian Football Confederation and ‘14 World Cup Organizing Committee President RICARDO TEIXEIRA is “to be investigated by the police on suspicion of illegal transfer of funds into the country and money laundering.” Teixeira has “denied any wrongdoing” (REUTERS, 10/12).
NAMES: The New Jersey HOF has “widened its pool of nominees,” naming late NFL Giants Owner WELLINGTON MARA, former NFL Giants coach and ESPN’s BILL PARCELLS, NFL Films Founder ED SABOL and ESPN’s DICK VITALE to its list of candidates (NJ.com, 10/11)….The Maples Leafs yesterday “took a ride in a Hercules C-17 as part of their team-building exercises at CFB Trenton” (TORONTO STAR, 10/12)….IndyCar driver MARCO ANDRETTI will participate in NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” this upcoming season (EW.com 10/11)….Crimson Oak Publishing is releasing “596 SWITCH,” the first of three books by former NFLer RYAN LEAF (Crimson Oak Publishing)….Former NFLer ROBERT STEELE has written a sports-to-business autobiography, “STEELE HERE: AN UNDERDOG’S SECRET TO SUCCESS” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/12)….Knicks F CARMELO ANTHONY “gave a bubbly gift” to LRMR CEO MAVERICK CARTER at the LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Sunday, bringing “a dozen bottles of Dom Perignon Luminous Champagne for Carter, which added more than $25,000 to Melo’s tab” (N.Y. POST, 10/12).
