Spain’s Guardia Civil has arrested Angel María Villar Llona, President of the Spanish football association (RFEF), his son and three other executives on corruption charges. Villar Llona is also a Vice President on the FIFA Council and the UEFA Executive Committee.

‘Detainees are charged with crimes of unfair administration, misappropriation, private corruption and forgery’, read a Guardia Civil statement. ‘During the operation, the Guardia Civil carried out several inspections at the headquarters of the RFEF; at the Tenerife football association headquarters and at several private homes linked to the detainees’.

The investigation was launched in 2016 following a complaint from Spain’s Higher Sport Council (CSD). It is understood to be examining allegations that Villar Llona and his son, Gorka, arranged national team matches for personal profit. The other men arrested were Juan Padron, the RFEF Vice President of Economic Affairs and both the President and the Secretary of the Tenerife FA. Gorka Villar, a lawyer, was previously Director General of the Latin American football confederation (CONMEBOL). In 2015 he was forced to deny separate corruption allegations.

The arrests were welcomed by the CSD. ‘Spain is governed by the rule of law’, it said in a statement. ‘Nowhere in this country is outside the rule of law nor beyond the control of justice, including sport and football’.