FIFA's Warner returns England's WCup bid gift

LONDON (AP) -FIFA vice president Jack Warner has returned a luxury handbag provided for his wife by England's World Cup bid team.

Warner, one of 24 FIFA executive members who will vote next year on the World Cup hosts for 2018 and 2022 with England bidding for both tournaments, received the $380 Mulberry bag during a visit to London last month.

FIFA guidelines tell bidding countries that gifts can only be provided to FIFA officials that have "symbolic or incidental value,'' and Warner accepts this was the case.

"I believe this was a very innocuous gift given by the FA to my wife for her birthday that led to her being embarrassed by the English media,'' Warner said Wednesday. "It was just a symbolic gift and was completely unsolicited - it didn't matter if it cost 2 or 200 pounds.

"As far as I am concerned, my wife is sacrosanct and I want no part of anything that affects her, so we decided to return the bag and she did so yesterday morning.''

The British media and opposition Conservative Party had questioned the wisdom of providing the handbags last month.