Ángel María Villar was re-elected as the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) president for the eighth consecutive time on Monday after he "stood unopposed," according to Rik Sharma of REUTERS. The term of office for the 67-year-old, "who got 112 votes with 11 abstentions and six spoiled ballots," will run until '20. Villar was first elected in '88. His former secretary general, Jorge Pérez, had said that he would "run against him for the post but instead brought a case against Villar to Spain's highest sports court" over alleged irregularities in the election of the RFEF assembly. Pérez "withdrew from the election in protest, deciding not to present his candidacy on May 5." The RFEF published a statement saying that the assembly election process had been conducted with "absolute honesty and transparency" and that the criticism was "completely untrue and biased" (REUTERS, 5/22). In Madrid, José Félix Díaz reported the five challenges Villar will face will include the use of technology and video assistant referees. Next season, La Liga will trial VAR. Other "areas Villar will have to address" are the RFEF's relations with La Liga, the format of the Copa del Rey, the site of the Copa del Rey final and the "transparency of the RFEF" (MARCA, 5/23).
