Football Federation of Australia pays AUD$500,000 to Warner's CONCACAF

The Football Federation Australia (FFA) had paid 500,000 AU dollars (383,900 U.S. dollars) into a Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) bank account not as a bribe but in good faith, FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said in an exclusive interview with Sky News on Tuesday.

Lowy said FFA expected the money would be used in a CONCACAF Center of Excellence project.

He said FFA officials had had several months of engagement with officials from CONCACAF before finally forwarding the funding.

"I have never spoken to (former CONCACAF President Jack) Warner about this subject," Lowy said. "It was always done at the level of the executives in both areas."

As for Australia's failed bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lowy said Australia was competing against bids in which nation states negotiated over diplomatic and national commercial interests.

Looking back, he lamented that it was clear that Australia could never have won under those circumstances.

"I should have known better," said Lowy.

Lowy said during the interview that he contacted FIFA-appointed investigator Michael Garcia and arranged a meeting in New York to share what he knew about Australia and the World Cup bid process. This was followed by a further meeting in Australia as well as the provision by FFA of all requested material relating to the Australian bid.

Lowy remained hopeful that one day in the future under a reformed FIFA Australia would host a World Cup "but without my involvement" .

He also promised that FFA will cooperate with any investigation by Australian Senate as it did with FIFA and the Australian Federal Police. Endi