MADRID: Pedro Rocha’s chances of succeeding the disgraced Luis Rubiales as Spanish football federation (RFEF) president have been placed in doubt after being placed under investigation in the alleged graft scandal which has rocked Spain’s football elite.
Rocha, seen as favorite to fill the post, appeared in court on the outskirts of Madrid on Friday as a witness in the case in which Rubiales is being investigated.
However, the judge suspended Rocha’s statement and made him an investigated party in the graft case.
“(The judge) has agreed this morning to change the procedural status of Pedro Rocha from witness to investigated party,” said the court in a statement.
“The classification of the alleged crimes is yet to be defined, as well as the date of his next statement.”
Rubiales, who was briefly detained by police on his arrival in Spain on April 3 as part of the probe after he arrived from the Dominican Republic, is due to testify on April 29.
Rocha, who moved up from vice president to become interim president after Rubiales resigned last year, seemed poised to replace him officially as president as soon as Monday.
Spanish media have reported the two other candidates, Carlos Herrera and Eva Parera, have been unable to collect the minimum of 21 endorsements necessary from RFEF assembly members, while he has 107.
In March Spanish police searched 11 locations, including the RFEF’s Madrid headquarters and Rubiales’ house in Granada as part of the investigation into corruption and other crimes.
Federation contracts signed since 2018 are being investigated including one by Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
The Super Cup contracts are worth 40 million euros a year ($43 million) with the deal brokered by Kosmos, a company owned by former Barcelona and Spain defender Gerard Pique.
Rubiales was forced to step down as RFEF boss in September after forcibly kissing Women’s World Cup star Jenni Hermoso following Spain’s triumph in the Sydney final in August.
Spanish football presidency favorite to be investigated in graft case
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Spanish football presidency favorite to be investigated in graft case
- The judge suspended Rocha’s statement and made him an investigated party in the graft case
- Rubiales, who was briefly detained by police on his arrival in Spain on April 3 as part of the probe after he arrived from the Dominican Republic, is due to testify on April 29
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
