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FIFA’s ethics watchdogs have banned three former football officials from Guam, Nicaragua and Venezuela for life as part of efforts to address widespread corruption in the sport, the world football governing body said on Tuesday.
The latest officials to be hit by Fifa bans are Richard Lai, the former Guam Football Association president and a former member of the Fifa audit and compliance committee; Julio Rocha, the former Nicaraguan Football Association president and a former Fifa development officer; and Rafael Esquivel, former Venezuelan Football Association president.
All three men had pleaded guilty in the United States to separate federal charges ranging from wire fraud to racketeering and money laundering.
"The adjudicatory chamber found Mr. Lai, Mr. Rocha and Mr. Esquivel guilty of having violated article 21 (bribery and corruption) of the FIFA Code of Ethics," said a statement from the ethics watchdog of world football's governing body.
"The officials are banned for life from all football-related activities... at national and international level," it added.
The three are among the 42 officials and marketing executives who have been indicted by the United States justice department as part of its sprawling probe into football corruption.
Esquivel, who also served as the vice president of South American governing body CONMEBOL, pleaded guilty to racketeering and wire fraud in November of last year.
He admitted to taking bribes in exchange for the awarding of football media and marketing rights.
Rocha, who once headed Nicaragua's football association, pleaded guilty to similar offences in December 2016.
The latest officials to be hit by Fifa bans are Richard Lai, the former Guam Football Association president and a former member of the Fifa audit and compliance committee; Julio Rocha, the former Nicaraguan Football Association president and a former Fifa development officer; and Rafael Esquivel, former Venezuelan Football Association president.
All three men had pleaded guilty in the United States to separate federal charges ranging from wire fraud to racketeering and money laundering.
"The adjudicatory chamber found Mr. Lai, Mr. Rocha and Mr. Esquivel guilty of having violated article 21 (bribery and corruption) of the FIFA Code of Ethics," said a statement from the ethics watchdog of world football's governing body.
"The officials are banned for life from all football-related activities... at national and international level," it added.
The three are among the 42 officials and marketing executives who have been indicted by the United States justice department as part of its sprawling probe into football corruption.
Esquivel, who also served as the vice president of South American governing body CONMEBOL, pleaded guilty to racketeering and wire fraud in November of last year.
He admitted to taking bribes in exchange for the awarding of football media and marketing rights.
Rocha, who once headed Nicaragua's football association, pleaded guilty to similar offences in December 2016.
