FIFA, the world governing body for football, has summoned Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner to Zurich, Switzerland, this weekend as it investigates allegations of bribery involving Warner and FIFA presidential candidate Mohamed bin Hammam.

Warner, a FIFA vice-president who has long been considered a power broker in the football organisation because he controls 40 Concacaf votes which are key to any FIFA presidential candidate's success, is accused, along with bin Hammam, of allegedly offering bribes to members of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) for votes in the upcoming June 1 FIFA presidential elections.

Warner, 68, has been called to Zurich to answer bribery allegations before a FIFA Ethics Committee on Sunday.

The chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), the leading coalition partner of the People's Partnership administration, immediately denied the allegations in a statement yesterday.

FIFA acted after receiving a report from FIFA executive committee member American Chuck Blazer, regarding Warner and bin Hammam's alleged conduct at a CFU meeting on May 10-11 in Trinidad.

Unlike previous FIFA scandals, the allegations yesterday did not come from leaked documents or media stings but from Blazer—one of FIFA's own and a long-time Concacaf ally of Warner.

Blazer's allegations are understood to be supported by affidavits from witnesses, prepared by lawyers, a report in The Telegraph newspaper of England stated yesterday.

Blazer is the general secretary of Concacaf and has served on FIFA's executive committee for 15 years.

FIFA said the allegations relate to bin Hammam's meeting in Trinidad in May with 25 Caribbean football leaders to lobby votes for his candidacy.

The Daily Telegraph said CFU members were offered US$40,000 for their votes in the FIFA presidential elections.

In a statement yesterday, Fifa said: "On 24 May 2011, FIFA executive committee member and Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer reported to Fifa secretary general Jérôme Valcke possible violations of the FIFA Code of Ethics allegedly committed by officials.

"In particular, the report referred to a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), apparently organised jointly by FIFA vice-president Jack A Warner and FIFA executive committee member Mohamed bin Hammam, which took place on 10 and 11 May, 2011. This meeting was linked to the forthcoming FIFA presidential election."

"As this is now a formal procedure, I shall not be offering any further comment prior to the hearing on Sunday," Warner said yesterday in a brief statement. "I take note of the initiative by FIFA's Ethics Committee and confirm that I have been invited to attend a hearing this week Sunday, May 29, 2011, in Zurich. I am unaware of the particulars of the matter being investigated by FIFA at this time, so I will therefore abstain from any comment until such time as I have been made aware of all that has been submitted to FIFA."

 Warner's support has been crucial to elections victories in 1998 and 2002 by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who is again the favourite to retain his position, having already had the support of Africa and Europe.

But while Warner hinted at supporting Blatter, the Caribbean zone president recently invited Asian confederation president bin Hammam to Trinidad and Tobago earlier this month, giving the Qatar resident the opportunity to pitch his campaign before its members. 

In a statement to his personal website, Bin Hammam said: "This has been a difficult and painful day for me, today.

"But if there is even the slightest justice in the world, these allegations will vanish in the wind. This move is little more than a tactic being used by those who have no confidence in their own ability to emerge successfully from the FIFA presidential election.

"I remain deeply indebted to Mr Warner for his sense of fair play because without his support and understanding, I would not have been able to meet with several important member associations of FIFA to discuss my election manifesto.

"Here, I completely deny any allegations of wrongdoing, either intentionally or unknowingly, while I was in the Caribbean."

Bin Hammam and Warner have served a total of 43 years in FIFA's high command and represent 81 football nations. Both were re-elected unopposed to four-year terms this year.

They face lengthy suspensions if the bribery allegations are proven.

CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester are also being investigated, FIFA said.

FIFA is also weighing action against Warner and three more FIFA executive colleagues who have been accused of unethical behaviour in a British lawmakers' hearing this month.

The former head of England's failed 2018 World Cup bid, Lord David Triesman, alleged Warner asked for money to build an education centre and buy 2010 World Cup broadcast rights for Haiti.

Warner has denied the allegation.