Spanish football chief Villar quits UEFA & FIFA roles amid corruption probe
Suspended Spanish football chief Angel Maria Villar has resigned from his role as vice-president of governing bodies UEFA and FIFA, following his recent arrest as part of a corruption probe.
Villar stepped down from the roles after he and his son Gorka were detained on Tuesday last week by the Spanish Civil Guard, amid accusations of fraud and financial mismanagement, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The 67-year-old, a former Spain international, had been president of the Spanish football association (RFEF) since 1988, but has been replaced by Juan Luis Larrea as interim president.
He had also served on the council of FIFA for the last 29 years, as well as being a vice-president of world football’s governing body and its European counterpart, UEFA.
"Villar will no longer have any official functions at our organization,” UEFA said in a statement sent to Reuters.
"In view of the ongoing court proceedings in Spain, we have no further comments to make on this matter."
UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin accepted Villar's resignation and thanked him for his years of service.
Villar has also left his role at FIFA, where he had been the most senior of eight vice-presidents behind the organization’s chief, Gianni Infantino.
