Bolivian football chief arrested

The president of Bolivia’s Football Federation has been arrested as part of a corruption inquiry, officials say.

Carlos Chavez is also the treasurer of the South American Football Confederation, Conmebol.

Bolivia began investigating its football federation after a major corruption scandal broke out involving the sport’s world governing body Fifa.

More than 20 Bolivian football executives have given evidence in the courts so far.

Mr Chavez is accused of “alleged corruption in the management of resources”, Bolivia’s public prosecutor said.

The Secretary General of the Bolivian federation, Alberto Lozada, has also been arrested for fixing matches.

Scandal

Fifa is facing claims of widespread corruption after Swiss police raided a hotel in Zurich – where Fifa is based – and arrested seven of its top executives last month.

The seven were held at the request of the US justice department which has charged 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted” corruption.

Two former Conmebol presidents, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz, are among those charged.

Also in May, Swiss prosecutors opened separate criminal proceedings “against persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering” in connection with the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.