CONCACAF, whose acting President Alfredo Hawit was arrested last week, "decided not to appoint a new interim leader," according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. Hawit was arrested in Zurich on Thursday and was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on corruption charges as part of its "investigation into world governing body FIFA." The Honduran had "taken over the helm of CONCACAF following the May arrest of previous President Jeffrey Webb." Cayman Islander Webb "had come to power after the downfall of long-term CONCACAF President Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago." Miami-based CONCACAF announced on Monday that it would not select another interim president and would instead leave its exec committee "to run their affairs until a congress in Mexico City on May 12." The organization said that its elected leaders would "serve in an advisory capacity" to CONCACAF acting General Secretary Ted Howard and director-level staff (REUTERS, 12/8). The AP reported CONCACAF said that "its presidential election to formally replace Webb is scheduled on May 12 in Mexico City, before the FIFA Congress there." The seven-member leadership panel "also includes FIFA executive committee members Sunil Gulati of the U.S. and Sonia Bien-Aime of the Turks and Caicos Islands" (AP, 12/7).
MAJOR DEFICIENCIES: In a separate piece, the AP reported FIFA told its 209 member federations of their "major deficiencies" handling tens of millions of dollars in project money this year. FIFA acting Secretary General Markus Kattner said in a letter, "Control of FIFA development funds will be reinforced." Problems included "failure to have a bank account specific for FIFA-approved money and poorly documented cash payments" (AP, 12/8).
EXTRADITION: REUTERS' Neghaiwi & Shields reported the Swiss Federal Office of Justice said that FIFA VP Juan Angel Napout, head of CONMEBOL, "agreed to be extradited" to the U.S. in a football corruption probe. Napout was detained in Zurich last week on a U.S. warrant "accusing him of accepting bribes worth millions of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights" to football tournaments in Latin America (REUTERS, 12/8).
FIFA SLAYER: In a separate piece, Evans reported U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has been turned into a comic strip hero called "FIFA Slayer" by American women's sports website ESPNW. Lynch, who has led the Department of Justice's investigation of football's global governing body, was named among 25 women athletes and "influencers" in the annual Impact25 awards from the U.S. sports network (REUTERS, 12/8).
