The fraud charges related to the €1.2M subsidy that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) received in '10 "now involve Spain's Superior Sports Council (CSD)." Execs from the CSD "allegedly changed the dates of a letter to allow the RFEF to list expenses unrelated to the intended purpose of the subsidy" (EL PAÍS, 3/14).
Liberian FA President Musa Bility "appeared to admit on Liberian radio" that, in '15, he took $50,000 from FIFA "meant to go towards humanitarian aid during the Ebola crisis." The money was distributed to his exec committee members while he retained $35,000. Bility is accused of "multiple acts of corruption" by former LFA exec committee member Rochell Woodson and other stakeholders in Liberian football. Bility countered the allegations of corruption but "when asked specifically about the $50,000 from FIFA for Ebola awareness initiatives he admitted that he had taken the money and shared it amongst his inner circle" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/14).
The Brazilian women's league "kicked off in an expanded format, despite financial constraints and a talent drain that has cast a shadow" over the '17 season, with "many of the top players signed for foreign clubs." For the first time, the Brasileirão Feminino "will have two divisions, A1 and A2, with eight clubs in each division." The league will last six months instead of four. All teams will have a "guaranteed 14 matches to play" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 3/14).
Egypt's general prosecution referred Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou to the country's economic court on charges of "violating local anti-monopoly rules." CAF Secretary General Hicham El Amrani has also been charged. The CAF "firmly rejects accusations it committed any wrongdoing" when signing a multi-million dollar deal with sports agency Lagardère in June '15 (BBC, 3/14).
New details of a confidential settlement between Football Federation Victoria and an ex-director accused of "verbally abusing a teenage girl refereeing a junior match" have "clouded an integrity scandal being watched by the sport's national governing body and the Victorian government." Contradictions between the public statements of FFV President Kimon Taliadoros and a letter of apology he signed and sent to former Dir Alvin De Zilva are "expected to trigger further resignations from the FFV tribunal," the panel that heard the case against the "prominent" taxation lawyer (THE AUSTRALIAN, 3/15).
