Former Honduras president and soccer official Rafael Callejas pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges relating to what US prosecutors described as multi-million dollar bribery schemes at FIFA and other soccer governing bodies.
Callejas, who is a former president of the Honduran soccer federation and has served on FIFA's marketing and television committee, appeared with a lawyer in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, and the lawyer entered the plea on his behalf.
Callejas, 72, is one of dozens of soccer officials charged by US authorities investigating corruption in the sport.
Lawyer Manuel Retureta said during the hearing that Callejas would not immediately seek release on bail. Retureta declined to comment after the hearing. As Callejas left court, he flashed a thumbs-up to someone in the room.
Another defendant in the soccer investigation, suspended FIFA vice-president Juan Angel Napout, was scheduled to appear in the same court later on Tuesday. Napout was president of the South American soccer confederation CONMEBOL.
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Soccer bosses from South and Central America, including Callejas and Napout, were among 16 people charged on December 3 with engaging in schemes involving more than $US200 million ($A278 million) in bribes and kickbacks sought for marketing and broadcast rights to tournaments and matches.
In total, 41 individuals and entities have been charged in the United States in a corruption sweep that has rocked soccer worldwide and sent FIFA into an unprecedented crisis.
