BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The investigation into corruption inside the Spanish soccer federation under former president Luis Rubiales has been expanded to include his successor, Pedro Rocha, a Madrid-based court said Friday.
The investigating judge decided to officially consider Rocha to be under investigation after hearing testimony from him on Friday.
Rocha told local media when leaving the court that his “conscience is clear.”
Rocha took over as interim federation president after Rubiales stepped down in September, weeks after he became a national embarrassment for kissing a player without her consent during the Women’s World Cup awards ceremony.
Rocha resigned from his interim post last week upon announcing that he would run for the permanent federation presidency in upcoming elections. Rocha is so far the only person to qualify as a candidate.
The corruption and money laundering investigation is looking into contracts for the Spanish Super Cup and the federation’s links with Seville’s La Cartuja Stadium, which hosts the Copa del Rey final and some international games, among other deals. Last month, police arrested seven suspects and raided a property belonging to Rubiales in the southern Spanish city of Granada and the offices of the Spanish Soccer Federation in Madrid.
Rubiales himself was arrested before being released as part of the probe last week.
Spain’s governmental sports authority, the Higher Council of Sports, said Friday that it had spoken to FIFA to transmit its ongoing concern about the federation.
The Spanish soccer federation runs Spain’s national soccer teams and organizes its domestic semi-professional and amateur soccer competitions.
It is also poised to help organize the 2030 men’s World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.
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