BERNE, SwitzerlandBERNE, Switzerland Jan 18 (Reuters) - World soccer's governing body FIFA stood by vice-president Jack Warner on Friday following accusations by the Dominica football association (DFA) he had abused his power.
Soccer officials from Dominica threatened to take Warner to FIFA's ethics committee after he visited the tiny Caribbean island on Wednesday and recommended the removal of the association's executive committee.
The DFA said in a statement on Thursday that Warner had made a "unilateral decision" that was "unquestionably illegal."
FIFA, however, said Warner had been acting with the organisation's full backing and as part of a long investigation into the state of the DFA.
In a statement on Friday, FIFA said a delegation had first visited Dominica in July 2007 after the association's annual conference was suspended "due to an impasse concerning constitutional and procedural matters."
In November, a second delegation reported a "normalisation committee" might have to be established pending new elections at the DFA.
"As a result of the continuation of the various impasses at the DFA, another delegation travelled to the DFA... on 15 January 2008, this time consisting of FIFA Vice-President Jack Warner and (development officer) Harold Taylor," the statement added.
"Mr Warner has subsequently submitted his report and recommendations... which are now under review at FIFA."
FIFA confirmed they had received formal correspondence from the DFA but said this had made no mention of FIFA's ethics committee.
CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE
Warner, who is also the president of FIFA's CONCACAF region, has been involved in several recent controversies.
In December 2006, FIFA's executive committee expressed disapproval with him over a scandal involving the resale of World Cup tickets by son Daryan through Warner's former travel company.
No further action was taken after FIFA's disciplinary committee said there was "no concrete evidence" Warner had known about the sales.
Warner was also criticised by national team players in his native Trinidad and Tobago over his involvement in negotiating the bonuses awarded to members of the 2006 World Cup squad.
In August, Warner made further headlines when he expressed his opposition to England's 2018 World Cup bid, telling the BBC "nobody in Europe likes England. England invented the sport but has never made any impact on world football." (Editing by Alison Wildey)