CIFA breaks silence and supsends Blake

(CNS): The beleaguered Cayman Islands Football Association has suspended its vice president, the association announced Monday in its first comment about his arrest last week by anti-corruption investigators. The inquiry relates to specific cash transactions in CIFA bank accounts, but it is understood “that the association itself is not under investigation”, the release stated. However, CIFA said it had “temporarily suspended Bruce Blake as an executive member with immediate effect”.

In the press statement, the local football body said that, according to its policy, executives are immediately suspended from all football-related activities and from the day-to-day administration if they are under investigation. Although CIFA said little about the payments that were made to it to clear outstanding loans, the statement pointed the finger at former CIFA president Jeff Webb and former treasurer Canover Watson, who was arrested on Friday, the day after Blake’s arrest.

“Based on the statement by Mr Blake’s attorney, we understand that the investigation is focused on specific transactions of the former president and former treasurer,” the association said.

CIFA said it had recently received financial approval for funding from FIFA to conduct its forensic audit, and said it expected this independent review would provide the basis for appropriate legal action in the future aimed at the restitution of funds defrauded from the association.

“CIFA continues to reaffirm its commitment to transparency and accountability,” it added.

CIFA Press Release following the arrest of VP Bruce Blake, 3 July 2017