- Title: Spanish soccer federation head escorted to his HQ after arrest
- Date: 18th July 2017
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICE CAR CARRYING ARRESTED HEAD OF THE SPANISH SOCCER FEDERATION, ANGEL MARIA VILLAR, ARRIVING AT HEADQUARTERS OF THE SPANISH SOCCER FEDERATION VARIOUS OF VILLAR WALKING TOWARDS BUILDING ESCORTED BY POLICE VILLAR INSIDE BUILDING SEEN THROUGH HALF-OPEN DOOR
- Embargoed: 1st August 2017 14:58
- Keywords: Angel Maria Villar arrest Spanish soccer federation soccer corruption graft raid Spain
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016Q8W0UF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The head of Spain's soccer federation (RFEF) Angel Maria Villar, a FIFA vice president, was escorted to the RFEF headquarters by police on Tuesday (July 18) following his arrest in Madrid as part of an anti-corruption investigation.
Villar, his son - named by Spanish media as Gorka - and several other Spanish soccer federation members were detained on allegations of collusion, fraud and embezzlement, the police said in a statement.
A one-time midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, Villar has been at the head of the federation for nearly 30 years.
He was fined 25,000 Swiss francs ($26,000) last year by FIFA's Ethics Committee for failing to co-operate with an investigation into the contest to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups that triggered the worst crisis in the soccer world governing body's history.
The investigation into Villar is already several months old and stems from claims raised by the Spanish state's sports body in early 2016, police said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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