UEFA vice-president Angel Villar Llona fined by FIFA
Friday 13 November 2015 16:42, UK
UEFA vice-president Angel Villar Llona has been fined and warned by FIFA's ethics committee for failing to co-operate with investigations into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes.
The Spaniard, who has been a FIFA executive member since 1998, has been fined 25,000 Swiss francs (£16,376).
The committee says Villar Llona "failed to behave in accordance with the general rules of conduct."
At first he refused to co-operate with then-FIFA ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia and later tried to have the American lawyer thrown off the case. FIFA ethics judge Joachim Eckert imposed a lighter sanction as Villar Llona later "demonstrated a willingness to co-operate."
The 65-year-old, who has been the president of the Spanish football federation for 27 years, is presently the most senior official at UEFA, effectively running the organisation in the absence of the suspended president Michel Platini.
Villar Llona released a statement saying he believes he has been cleared of any serious wrongdoing, adding he was interviewed by Michael Garcia. However, during one of those interviews he said he was accused of using inappropriate language and believes that is why he was fined.
The statement read: "On the one hand, Mr. Villar Llona is satisfied that this decision finally clears his name regarding the alleged lack of collaboration.
"On the other hand, Mr. Villar Llona is of the view that at no time, he behaved in an indecent manner or breached any other provision of the FIFA Code of Ethics throughout these proceedings. Mr. Villar Llona regrets that oral expressions made by him have been perceived differently by some members of the FIFA Ethics Committee.
"For this reason, Mr. Villar Llona will evaluate whether or not to make use of any legal remedies against the imposed sanction."
The ethics panel also imposed six-month bans on Congolese officials Jean Guy Mayolas and Badji Wantete for misconduct.
It has been announced, meanwhile, that acting FIFA president Issa Hayatou has undergone a successful kidney transplant.
Hayatou is also the boss of the African Football Confederation, and a statement from the CAF said he would continue in both roles.
