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CONMEBOL Execs Transferred $129M To Personal Accounts From '00-15, Audit Finds

The leaders of CONMEBOL transferred $128.6M between '00 and '15 to "personal accounts, suspicious accounts, or unauthorized third-party accounts," an audit released on Wednesday by Ernst & Young found, according to the AP. The audit presented to the annual CONMEBOL congress in Santagio said that the confederation's former president, Nicolás Leoz, transferred $26.9M to his personal accounts. Leoz was the president for 27 years until resigning in '13 "for what he said were health reasons." The audit also found $58M in payments "to third parties without adequate documentation," payments of $33.3M to "unidentified accounts," and $10.4M to "suspicious third-parties." Leoz, 88, is "one of three ex-presidents of CONMEBOL accused on corruption charges" by the U.S. Department of Justice. He is in Paraguay fighting extradition to the U.S. (AP, 4/27).

'NEVER AGAIN': REUTERS' Rosalba O'Brien reported CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez "swore that the corruption cases that have rocked it in recent years" would "never again" happen, as the organization "described itself as a victim and pledged to try and recoup stolen funds." Officials said that CONMEBOL had been a "victim" of corrupt practices and promised that it was a "reformed organization with new people and new rules, such as the clear registration of payments." Domínguez, who was elected president of the federation last year, said, "Today is a historic day for South American football. ... What happened will never again happen in our federation." The phrase "never more," or "nunca mas" in Spanish, has "strong resonances in South America," where it was used in the '80s by panels investigating past human rights abuses (REUTERS, 4/26).

COPA AMERICA TO EXPAND: O'Brien also reported the Copa América is "likely to be expanded to 16 teams when it next takes place in Brazil" in '19, CONMEBOL said. Domínguez: "The board has agreed that it will take place in Brazil and the ideal number of teams will be 16." A centenary edition was played in the U.S. last year with 16 teams. Traditionally, the tournament is played with CONMEBOL's 10 teams plus two invited teams from North or Central America (REUTERS, 4/26). The BBC reported a "mass brawl" marred the end of a Copa Libertadores game and Brasileiro side Palmeiras claimed its players "were deliberately stopped from leaving the pitch" by Uruguayan side Peñarol. On-loan Inter Milan midfielder Felipe Melo "responded with punches when he and Palmeiras keeper Fernando Prass were chased by players from the home team" (BBC, 4/27).

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