October 31 – Spanish FA vice president Andreu Subies has been arrested as part of the same police operation that also saw the federation’s former president and FIFA powerbroker Angel Maria Villar resign on corruption charges.
Formerly head of Catalan football for seven years, Subies joined the Spanish FA in May as part of the team put together by Villar’s successor Luis Rubiales but has now himself been detained in an operation focused on money laundering.
“Subies has been detained as part of an active investigation into the diversion of money from the Catalan Football Federation to private ends,” a Spanish police spokesman told Reuters.
La Vanguardia reported that the RFEF was also holding other unknown suspects following searches at the Catalan Football Federation headquarters in Barcelona and other Catalan cities.
In a statement the Spanish FA responded: “The RFEF expresses the utmost respect for the legal actions, following the events that took place this morning. We want to highlight the necessary respect for the presumption of innocence.”
Villar’s footballing career ended in disgrace when the prosecution accused him of illegally providing financial support to regional federations in exchange for their votes to help him stay in power for eight consecutive terms since 1988.
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