Spanish tribunal delays decision on investigation into Villar
MADRID: The Spanish sports tribunal has postponed until Friday a decision on whether to launch a disciplinary investigation into football federation president Angel Maria Villar writes KEIR RADNEDGE.
Villar and Spanish basketball president Jose Luis Saez have both been cited by the Spanish sports council over allegations of maladministration.
This is far from being the first time Villar has clashed with the Spanish sports authorities and, in the past, the power of football has always seen him emerge as a winner – as evidenced by his 26 years at the head of the RFEF and his status as a vice-president of international bodies FIFA and UEFA.
Last Thursday Villar chaired a congress of the European federation in Zurich on the eve of the world governing body’s election.
On February 11 the requested that the tribunal open disciplinary proceedings against Villar, and his deputy and financial director Juan Padron over allegations of ignoring of financial irregularities concerning lower division clubs Recreativo de Huelva and CD Marino Tenerife-Sur.
The case surrounds claims that Villar allowed both clubs to play on this season despite failing to meet stricter new finance regulations.
Saez is the subject of allegations concerning the misuse of basketball federation funds.
Tribunal judge Arnaldo Alcubilla said: “We are still considering the issues and need more time because both are very complex issues.”
On Friday Villar is due to be in Nyon to chair a meeting of the UEFA executive committee which must decide on the appointment of an interim general secretary after the ‘loss’ of Gianni Infantino to the FIFA presidency.
Villar was recently rapped over the knuckles by the FIFA’s ethics commission for non-co-operation with the Michel Garcia inquiry into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
His son, Gorka, is also under pressure for his role as director-general of South American conferation CONMEBOL whose leaders have been indicted in the United States Department of Justice’s FIFAGate corruption investigation.
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