FIFA vice presidents from Paraguay, Honduras arrested: FIFA official

The two FIFA officials detained in Zurich today on suspicion of corruption are vice presidents Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras

Zurich, Dec 3:  The two FIFA officials detained in Zurich today on suspicion of corruption are vice presidents Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, a senior FIFA official said. “The two who were arrested are Juan Angel Napout from Paraguay and Alfredo Hawit Banegas from Honduras,” the FIFA official, who did not want to be named, told AFP. Napout is president of the South American Football Confederation while Hawit is president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. (Also Read: FIFA discusses reforms amid new sponsor attacks)

The Swiss government earlier announced that two unnamed FIFA officials were detained on suspicion of taking millions of dollars in bribes. “The high-ranking FIFA officials are alleged to have taken the money in return for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches,” a Swiss justice ministry statement said.

The ministry did not name the pair but said it would do so later in the day. The corruption scandal rocking FIFA since May has seen the organisation’s longtime president Sepp Blatter suspended and under criminal investigation in Switzerland, while Michel Platini, once seen as his likely successor, is also suspended and facing a life ban from football.