June 29 – News of the FIFA seven arrested in dawn raids at their Zurich hotels on May 28 has been sparse. But last Friday a Swiss court reported that it had turned down an application for bail from one of the arrested, believed to be Uruguayan Eugenio Figueredo, as it said he posed a “risk of flight”.
The FIFA seven are now in their 32nd day of detention and are understood to be held in seven different prison locations around Zurich. The Swiss authorities, who acted at the request of the US Department of Justice, under Swiss law can hold the detainees for 40 days before the process of extradition via the courts begins.
All seven arrested have declined extradition to the US. The Swiss court process will now require evidence to be presented for it to make its rulings. No evidence has so far been presented to the courts for a ruling on extradition, though the US Department of Justice has released the indictment alleging bribes of more than $150 million as well as money laundering and non-payment of US taxes.
83-year-old Figueredo is a former president of the Uruguayan Football Association and South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). He was due to step down as a FIFA executive committee member at the FIFA Congress that took place two days after his arrest.
A Swiss court statement said: “The arguments put forward in support of his release, such as his advanced age and poor state of health, were not regarded as sufficient to counter the risk of absconding.
“The court held that there was a risk that the appellant would abscond if released.
“The court took into account that appellant has no close ties to Switzerland and is more than capable of travelling long distances.
“Measures such as money bail, electronic monitoring, etc. would not adequately reduce the risk of flight. The court also held, based on a report from the Zurich prison medical services, that there is no medical reason why the appellant should not remain in detention.”
Last week the lawyer of Costa Rican football president Eduardo Li, who was due to take his position for the first time on FIFA’s executive committee at the congress, said the case against Li was a “legal absurdity” and that there is no evidence his client took bribes or participated in a criminal enterprise.
Jose Miguel Villalobos has said that US prosecutors either misunderstand how Costa Rica football works, by incorrectly assuming the national football federation accounts are the same as Li’s personal accounts, or are unfairly trying to pressure his client to lie and implicate others.
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