BUENOS AIRES -- The president
of the South American Football Federation (CSF), Paraguay's Nicolas Leoz,
publicly denied on Wednesday receiving a bribe from a company linked to the
Federation of International Football Associations, according to information
reaching here.
Swiss court officials, quoted in the British newspaper The Guardian, have
alleged that a bankrupt company, ISMM-ISL, gave 211,625 euros (around 180,000
U.S. dollars) to Leoz, who has been in his post since 1986, in 2000 to win the
image and audio rights for the 2002 and 2006 World Cup competitions.
"I never took part in any finance committee, nor in any financial matters for
FIFA," Leoz told reporters in Asuncion. "I could hardly have taken part in
negotiations with ISMM-ISL and even less influenced decisions," he added.
Leoz added that the CSF did not take part in negotiations on behalf of South
American teams, that each federation negotiates freely, and that the CSF does
not receive any percentage.
"Our income in terms of television rights comes from the Copa America and the
tournaments we sponsor -- the Libertadores and the SudAmericana," Leoz said,
restating that these are the only negotiations he can influence.
Swiss court officials are investigating two senior officials at ISMM-ISL on
charges of fraud, fraudulent bankruptcy, and destruction of assets, according to
the Guardian.
According to the paper, ISMM officials used Liechtenstein bank and its Virgin
Islands partner to commit the fraud.
Separately, Paraguayan senator Juan Galaverna, from the ruling Colorado
Party, has accused Leoz of pressuring referee Carlos Amarilla to favor a team in
the Yparacai rural soccer league.
Galaverna said that Amarilla had ordered a penalty for an offside that did
not happen, leading to the defeat of the team for which Galaverna's son is
goalkeeper.
Both accusations have generated tension in Paraguay ahead of Thursday's visit
by FIFA boss, Joseph Blatter; who will attend a ceremony to mark the 100th
anniversary of Paraguay's Football Association.
