Villar: arrested in graft probe

Angel Maria Villar, President of the Spanish football federation (Real Federación Española de Fútbol, RFEF), and FIFA vice-president, was on Tuesday arrested along with his son, Gorka, in an anti-corruption operation, La Guardia Civil law enforcement agency, said.

The headquarters of the federation was raided in furtherance of an investigation on alleged falsification of documents and corruption bordering on misappropriation of funds, a statement by the agency said.

The operation is being carried out by La Guardia Civil under the supervision of the judge of the National Court, Santiago Pedraz.

In initial investigations, it was alleged that Villar favoured leaders of regional federations, using the federation’s money to obtain support for his re-election as the head of the Spanish Football Federation.

Villar, 67, was re-elected unopposed in May for the eighth time in a row as RFEF president to begin another four-year term.

(dpa/NAN)