FIFA investigators recommend life ban for disgraced Callejas

FIFA investigators have recommended a life ban be imposed on the disgraced former president of the Honduran Football Association, Rafael Callejas.

The 72-year-old, who was head of the nation’s football association from 2002 to 2015, pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy in a New York court in March.

Following its own investigation into allegedly illegal payments he received from sports marketing companies, FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee has deemed that Callejas breached a number of the organisation’s rules, including those relating to bribery and corruption.

A Committee statement released on Wednesday read: “Dr [Cornel] Borbely has recommended imposing on Mr Callejas a lifelong ban from taking part in any kind of football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) for the alleged violation of articles 13 (general rules of conduct), 15 (loyalty), 18 (duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), 19 (conflicts of interest), and 21 (bribery and corruption) of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

“Until a formal decision is taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, Mr Callejas is presumed innocent.”