ZURICH: The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has banned Ramón Maradiaga, the former national team coach of El Salvador, for a period of two years from all football-related activities (administrative, sports and any other) at both national and international level.

The investigation against Mr Maradiaga opened on 18 July 2017, on the basis, inter alia, of a report from the FIFA Integrity Department. Based on the report, the investigatory chamber investigated and analysed Mr Maradiaga’s involvement in an attempt to manipulate matches, allowing and not reporting a meeting held between the players of the national team of El Salvador and a third party, in which financial compensation was promised to the players in exchange for their altering the result of the game between El Salvador and Canada. The offer was rejected and reported by the players of the national team of El Salvador via a press conference on 5 September 2016.

The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Maradiaga guilty of having violated art. 21 (Bribery and corruption) and art. 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting) of the FIFA Code of Ethics. Mr Maradiaga has therefore been banned for a period of two years from all football-related activities (administrative, sports and any other) at national and international level. A fine in the amount of CHF 20,000 has also been imposed on Mr. Maradiaga.

The decision was notified to Mr Maradiaga today, and the ban comes into force immediately.

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