Spanish soccer federation fires executives linked to corruption probe

MADRID :Spain's soccer federation (RFEF) on Thursday fired two executives it said were linked to a multimillion-euro corruption probe, adding that the case had caused "very serious damage" to the sport's image in the country.

Pedro Gonzalez Segura, director of legal services, and Jose Javier Jimenez, director of human resources, had been removed from their positions, RFEF said in a statement.

The federation "opened disciplinary proceedings and has removed from their jobs and functions the managers related to the legal case," the RFEF added.

It is the second scandal in less than a year to rock Spain's top football body, coming after former President Luis Rubiales was forced to step down for an unsolicited kiss on the lips of Spain player Jenni Hermoso after the Women's World Cup final.

Interim President Pedro Rocha, who previously served as chair of the RFEF's economic commission, had been expected to announce his candidacy on Wednesday to replace Rubiales after stepping down as head of the Extremadura region federation.

The RFEF had summoned other regional federation presidents to a board meeting on Wednesday that was cancelled after police turned up at its headquarters.

The federation also terminated a contract with its external legal counsel Tomas Gonzalez Cueto of GC Legal, revoking his powers to represent the federation in legal cases, along with his partner Ramon Caravaca.

Reuters has so far been unable to contact the sacked executives and has asked GC Legal for comment.

Police on Wednesday searched the federation's headquarters and an apartment belonging to Rubiales, arresting seven people as part of an investigation over alleged corruption that includes a deal to relocate the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.

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