Court orders FIFA corruption suspect to remain in jail
A top football official, accused of taking huge bribes to allocate media rights to tournaments, has been told he must stay behind bars in Switzerland until a request for his extradition to the United States has been determined.
Swiss public television, SRF, named the official as Eugenio Figueredo, FIFA vice-president, and president of both the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Uruguayan Football Association.
On Friday, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court rejected his appeal of a detention order issued by the Swiss Justice Ministry. In its ruling, the court said it considered Figueredo to be a flight risk despite his lawyers arguing that he is advanced in years and in poor health.
Figueredo was among seven football bosses arrested in Zurich on May 27 by Swiss police at the request of the US authorities investigating alleged football corruption.
Six of the seven arrested suspects in the US case are contesting extradition proceedings.
Figueredo is accused by the US of taking bribes for awarding media rights for several editions of the COPA America South American football championships.
In addition to US investigations, Swiss prosecutors are also conducting a separate criminal probe into alleged vote rigging by FIFA in connection with the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments to Russia and Qatar.
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