Police Raid South American Football Headquarters Over FIFA Bribery Scandal
The U.S. Justice Department is currently investigating a vast bribery scandal at FIFA. The search for more clues has led authorities to Paraguay, where local police and state officials are now conducting raids in the headquarters of South America's football confederation.
Paraguay's state prosecution service said authorities are searching for documentation related to the granting of broadcast and commercial rights for sporting events, as per BBC News.
Witnesses said CONMEBOL interim president Wilmar Valdez and Paraguayan football federation president Alejandro Dominguez were with the police during the operation.
Alfredo Montanaro, a lawyer for the confederation, called the proceedings "irresponsible."
"It is very strange," he said. "We have been cooperating with the judicial authorities of the United States, Uruguay and Paraguay,"
CONMEBOL's headquarters near the country's capital Asuncion was granted diplomatic immunity in 1992, but the privilege was withdrawn in 2015 when the bribery scandal erupted.
Last month, U.S. authorities indicted 16 Latin American football officials accused of accepting bribes in return for tournament broadcast rights. One of them was Paraguayan national Juan Angel Napout. The former CONMEBOL president was extradited to the U.S., but he was eventually let go after he pleaded not guilty, NY Daily News reported.
The multi-million-dollar scandal has led to the suspension of other top officials including long-time FIFA boss Sepp Blatter.
CONMEBOL is the umbrella group that consists of 10 South American football associations. Two years ago, it signed an allegedly graft-ridden TV rights contract with Argentine marketing company Datisa. Among the 10 association presidents in office that year, only Sebastian Bauza from Uruguay has yet to face corruption charges from the FBI.
Meanwhile, Brazilian Football Confederation president Marco Polo Del Nero has temporarily stepped down, just one day after returning from a leave of absence. Del Nero, who was hit by U.S. corruption charges in December, has been temporarily replaced by Antonio Carlos Nunes de Lima.
Nunes de Lima had already served as the CBF leader following Del Nero's leave last month. The interim president quickly released a statement regarding the organization's current woes.
"We look forward to accelerating the renewal of Brazilian football on the path of modernisation, transparency and corporate ethics," he shared to Daily Mail. "Regardless of names, we will reaffirm the history, strength and condition of the CBF in conducting this process. It is a commitment that we assume throughout the world of football."
Brazilian football officials have been heavily implicated in the U.S. The recent bribery scandal has plunged FIFA into the worst crisis in its history.
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