The interim president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Pedro Rocha, was charged this Friday for alleged corruption in that organization during the time of his predecessor, Luis Rubiales, the court said.
The only candidate in the May 6 RFEF elections, Rocha testified this Friday as a witness in the court investigating the case and emerged as an accused.
“The chief magistrate (…) agreed this morning to change Pedro Rocha’s procedural status from witness to being investigated” for the “Brody case”, reported the Madrid Superior Court of Justice (TSJM).
The alleged crimes for which he is being investigated and the date of his next testimony should be announced soon, the TSJM added.
Rubiales, who was arrested by police upon his arrival in Spain from the Dominican Republic on April 3 as part of the investigation, is expected to testify on April 29.
Rocha was about to definitively replace Rubiales as president, as Spanish media reports that the other two candidates, Carlos Herrera and Eva Parera, failed to gather the minimum 21 votes required from members of the RFEF assembly, while Pedro Rocha counts with 107.
Spanish police carried out searches in 11 locations in March, including the RFEF headquarters and Rubiales’ home in Granada, as part of the investigation into corruption and other crimes.
Federation contracts signed since 2018 are being investigated, including one from Rubiales to take the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
The Super Cup contracts are valued at 40 million euros per year (217 million reais) in an agreement brokered by Kosmos, a company that belongs to former Barcelona and Spanish national team defender Gerard Piqué.
Rubiales was forced to resign as president of the RFEF in September due to a forced kiss he gave to player Jenni Hermoso after Spain’s victory in the women’s World Cup final in Sydney in August, a case that had global repercussions.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
