Former Peru football chief arrested in FIFA graft probe

The former longtime president of Peru's football federation, Manuel Burga, has been arrested as part of an ongoing US-led investigation into corruption at the sport's world governing body, FIFA.

Former President of the Peruvian Football Association (FPF), Manuel Burga

Former President of the Peruvian Football Association (FPF), Manuel Burga Source: Getty Images

Burga is among 16 people, including current and former Latin American football chiefs, who were charged on Thursday with multimillion-dollar bribery schemes for marketing and broadcast rights.

Burga, 58, who was head of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) for 12 years until 2014, denied wrongdoing as police arrested him late on Friday outside his home in the Peruvian capital, Lima.

"I'm helping police with their enquiries, I'd been waiting for them... They'd already informed me that I would see an arrest warrant," Burga told local television reporters who had gathered outside his house.

"I reiterate that I'm innocent. I haven't received any bungs or bribes," he said, before being driven away in a police car.

Police chief Vicente Romero said officers were acting on an international warrant for Burga's arrest.

It was not immediately clear if Burga remained in police custody on Saturday and a U.S. Embassy spokesman declined to comment on whether he would be extradited to the United States.

Burga won reelection as FPF president twice but was barred last year by the organisation from running for a fourth term as criticism grew over his management of the federation.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world