SPORT and Youth Affairs Minister Anil Roberts says if Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner is found guilty by the FIFA ethics committee, it would have a negative impact on local football.

"Warner has been instrumental in not only moving the Concacaf region up to world prominence but also enhancing Trinidad and Tobago's opportunity to succeed at the world's sphere, so any adverse finding against Minister Warner will definitely have an impact on football here in Trinidad and Tobago," he said during a telephone interview yesterday.

He said while he was not going to jump to conclusions about Warner's innocence as FIFA vice-president, he was going to monitor the situation very closely because "it could have some very awesome impacts, not only on sport in Trinidad and Tobago but football on the whole".

Roberts said there were people comparing the controversy surrounding Warner to that of former senator Mary King, but he insisted it was not the same.

"I think there is no real comparison because in that situation, King admitted on three points that she had erred," he said.

Asked whether he thought Warner should continue to hold the posts of FIFA vice-president and Works Minister, Roberts said he saw no problem with it.

"Yes, the stress can have an impact on you, but he has become accustomed to this; on the other hand, we must monitor and wait for all the facts to come out because right now, I repeat, there are no facts, there are only allegations," he said.