RFEF president Villar arrested as part of anti-corruption probe

Royal Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar has been arrested as part of an anti-corruption investigation.

The 67-year-old was detained by the Guardia Civil early on Tuesday following an order issued by Spain’s High Court and under the supervision of judge Santiago Pedraz.

Villar’s son Gorka, Juan Padron, the economic vice-president of the RFEF, and the president and secretary of the Tenerife Football Federation have also been arrested, authorities confirmed.

The arrests have been conducted as part of ‘Operation Soule’, an investigation into alleged corruption jointly organised by the High Court and the Anti-Corruption Office.

Villar, a senior FIFA vice-president, has been arrested on suspicion of “disloyal administration, falsifying documents, private corruption and of misappropriation”, the Guardia Civil said in a statement.

It is alleged that he sought favours to boost his campaign for re-election as the head of the RFEF. Villar, who has held the post since 1988, won a clear majority at the election in May.

Police have also raided offices at the RFEF headquarters in Madrid’s Las Rozas district, as well as the offices of the Tenerife federation and “the offices of companies and several private home addresses linked to the detainees”.

The RFEF has yet to make any comment.