Spanish football chief arrested

Police raided the headquarters of Spain’s football federation on Tuesday and arrested its president Angel Maria Villar as part of an anti-corruption probe, AFP reports.

Villar, 67, a senior vice-president of FIFA was being held on suspicion of abusing his position to embezzle funds from the federation, among other charges, a judicial source said.

FIFA declined to comment on the arrest, with a spokesman saying it was an “internal affair” for Spain despite Villar’s years as a top international football administrator.

His son Gorka along with federation vice-president and financial chief Juan Padron were also held in connection with the probe which notably focuses on allegations of skimming profits from international matches, the source told AFP.

An investigating magistrate from Spain’s political and financial crimes court is leading the investigation into allegations of “collusion, fraud, embezzlement and presumed forgery.”

Police,  who carried out raids on the federation headquarters in the upscale Madrid suburb of Las Rozas and other locations,  said that Villar is suspected of organising international football matches as part of a scheme to embezzle funds for the benefit of his son.

Spanish media said a friendly between Spain and South Korea  in June 2016 is among the matches that are believed to have been staged as part of the scheme.

Police agents escorted Villar, who was dressed in casual clothes, into the federation offices several hours after he was arrested.

Spanish government spokesman Inigo Mendez de Vigo told public television in response to the Villar arrest that “no-one is untouchable and everyone must obey the law”.

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Spanish football chief arrested

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