Daily Times

MADRID: A complaint has been lodged against Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales, accusing him of trying to finance work on his house through the union of players he chaired, according to Spanish media reports on Tuesday. Radio Cadena SER, which first reported the story, said a court in Valencia opened a preliminary inquiry after a complaint from Miguel Angel Galan, a former leadership candidate for the RFEF. Rubiales, president of the RFEF since May, would owe €120,000 for the work on his house, according to Cadena SER. But he reportedly proposed to pay part of his personal debt with money which was meant to be used for a construction project for the Spanish Players’ Union (AFE). The local courts of the Valencia region confirmed the filing of the complaint, but refused to comment on the opening of a preliminary investigation. The AFE said in a statement that it had “not financed any personal work for Luis Rubiales”. Rubiales took over at the RFEF from Angel Maria Villar, who was implicated in a corruption case, and played a key part in the sacking of Spain coach Julen Lopetegui on the eve of the World Cup last month.

Published in Daily Times, July 25^th 2018.