FIFA's ethics committee hands life bans to two Honduran former officials

19 December 2016 16:23

Ex-FIFA vice-president Alfredo Hawit Banegas and former Honduran Football Association president Rafael Callejas have been handed life bans from football by FIFA's ethics committee.

Hawit, an ex-executive committee member, former acting-president of CONCACAF and former president and general secretary of the Honduran FA, pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

Callejas, who also served on FIFA's marketing and television committee, accepted charges of racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.

The ethics committee launched an investigation in December 2015, led by Dr Cornel Borbely, chairman of the committee's investigatory chamber, and on Monday revealed both individuals would be banned for life.

A statement from the world governing body's adjudicatory chamber, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, read: "On 28 March 2016, Mr Callejas pleaded guilty to two counts charging him with racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy.

"His guilty plea related to one scheme by means of which he asked for and received bribes from sports marketing companies in relation to the awarding of marketing rights for UNCAF region World Cup qualifiers.

"Mr Hawit pleaded guilty on 11 April 2016 to four counts charging him with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

"His guilty plea relates to schemes by means of which he received bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for the awarding of contracts for the media and marketing rights to CONCACAF tournaments and UNCAF region World Cup qualifiers.

"The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Callejas and Mr Hawit guilty of having violated articles 13 (general rules of conduct), 15 (loyalty), 18 (duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), 19 (conflicts of interest) and 21 (bribery and corruption) of the FIFA code of ethics (FCE).

"As a consequence, both officials are banned for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at national and international level.

"The bans come into force upon notification of the decisions."

Source: PA