ZURICH: Enrique Sanz, general secretary of CONCACAF, is one of the three further officials suspended provisionally by the ethics committee of world federation FIFA writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Also suspended, in a separate ruling from ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, were Jean Guy Blaise Mayolas and Badji Mombo Wantete, respectively vice-president and general secretary of the Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT).
Sanz, 41, was placed on ‘leave of absence’ by the central and north American confederation last Thursday after the corruption revelations and worldwide arrests instigated by the United States Justice Department.
Before joining CONCACAF in July 2012 to succeed controversial Chuck Blazer, the Colombian-born Sanz was vice-president of Traffic Sports USA.
The marketing agency and its group owner, Jose Hawilla, have already both pleaded guilty to corruption-linked charges laid by the US investigators.
Sanz was personally recommended to CONCACAF by its then president Jeffrey Webb, who is among seven men detained by the Swiss authorities in Zurich last week in response to a US extradition application.
Back at the time of his appointment Webb said: “Enrique Sanz will have a key role in the administration of CONCACAF. I am certain that we have found a professional with competence and integrity to implement our road map to reform.”
Previously Sanz had been founder and ceo of Media Sports Marketing and had been vice-president of Interforever Sports.
CONCACAF’s appointment statement had described Sanz as “part of the team that laid the foundation for the [new] North American Soccer League.”
Last week the US Justice Department indictment also named Aaron Davidson who was president of both Traffic Sports USA and the NASL. Traffic Sports USA owns the Carolina RailHawks club.
Ethics chamber statements
Regarding Enrique Sanz:
Following previous decisions and further clarification, and on the basis of investigations carried out by the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee and the latest facts presented by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, today provisionally banned the official Enrique Sanz from carrying out any football-related activities at national and international level.
The decision was taken at the request of the chairman of the investigatory chamber, Dr Cornel Borbély, based on art. 83 par.1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
Regarding Blaise Mayolas and Wantete:
The chairman of the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, today provisionally banned the Vice-President, Mr Jean Guy Blaise Mayolas, and the General Secretary, Mr Badji Mombo Wantete, of the Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) from carrying out any football-related activities at national and international level, in accordance with art. 83 par. 1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics.
The decision was taken at the request of the chairman of the investigatory chamber, Dr Cornel Borbély, based on the fact that various breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics applied.
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