Spanish soccer chief arrested

The head of Spain’s soccer federation, Angel Maria Villar, a Fifa vice-president, was arrested on Tuesday after a raid on offices in Madrid as part of an anticorruption investigation, police said.

The head of Spain’s soccer federation Angel Maria Villar, a Fifa vice-president, was arrested on Tuesday after a raid on offices in Madrid as part of an anticorruption investigation, police said.

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.

Spain’s high court said one of its investigating magistrates and anticorruption prosecutors were leading the investigation.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation could not be reached for comment. Villar, a one-time midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, has been at the head of the federation for nearly 30 years.

He was fined $26,000 last year by Fifa’s ethics committee for failing to co-operate with an investigation into the contest to host the World Cup in 2018 and 2022 that triggered the worst crisis in the soccer world governing body’s history. Villar is also a vice-president of Uefa and ran for the presidency of that body in 2016 before withdrawing, after being asked to stand for re-election at the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

Fifa and Uefa said in separate statements they were aware of media reports surrounding Villar but had no further comment.

The investigation into Villar stems from claims raised by the Spanish state’s sports body in early 2016, police said.

At least four people were arrested in Tuesday’s raids. They included another member of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and an executive from the Tenerife soccer association.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation is due to hold a meeting on July 20 to approve the match schedule for Spain’s next La Liga football season, a meeting usually presided over by Villar.