Gheorghe Chivorchian, General Secretary of the Romanian football federation (FRF), has suspended himself after prosecutors charged him following allegations of corruption. The FRF’s Executive Committee will formally accept the suspension of his duties at a 6 July meeting.

It is alleged that Chivorchian gave the green light to accept €1 million from local authorities in 2008, while he was Chairman of Poli Timișoara, a top division club dissolved in 2012. Prosecutors allege that Chivorchian forged documents saying that the funds were for player salaries, whereas they were actually used for other purposes, such as to pay off debt.

“I considered it necessary and natural to interrupt the exercise of my duties as Secretary General until the procedures initiated by the state institutions that involve me are fully clarified”, said Chivorchian, who argues that he thought the contracts were legal, in a FRF statement. “Following talks with President Răzvan Burleanu, I decided to present my request to suspend my role at the hearing on 6 July 2015. I will provide all the necessary information to the authorities in order to clarify that this particular case does not need to involve the Romanian football federation.”