Suspended Villar ordered to resign as RFEF chief

MADRID: Suspended Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) chief Angel Maria Villar (pic) was ordered to resign by the federation on Wednesday to pave the way for an election to find his successor.

The 67yearold is suspended after his arrest on July 18 on suspicion of falsifying documents, misappropriation of funds, collusion and administrative breaches linked to skimming profits from international friendly games.

He spent two weeks in custody before his release on bail.

In a statement, the RFEF said their executive committee had told Villar “to resign”.

Following his arrest Villar was suspended as RFEF president for a year, and he resigned as vicepresident of both FIFA and UEFA.

Villar has headed the RFEF for the past 29 years and under his watch Spain became one of the dominant forces in world football, winning two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

But his critics say his period in charge was marked by ethical issues and an autocratic management style.

Villar denies all charges against him.

Also detained in a series of dawn raids in July were his son Gorka, the RFEF’s financial vicepresident Juan Padron and Ramon Hernandez Baussou, general secretary of the Tenerife federation.

The RFEF’s treasurer Juan Luis Larrea has acted as acting president since Villar’s arrest. — AFP