Spanish football federation appoints Rocha as president

Rocha, currently under investigation as part of a corruption case involving the federation, had filled the role on an interim basis and was left as the only candidate for the election.

Pedro Rocha succeeded Luis Rubiales as the Spanish Football chief, who had stepped down last September. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The Spanish football federation appointed Pedro Rocha as its president on Friday, after disgraced former chief Luis Rubiales stepped down last September.

Rocha, currently under investigation as part of a corruption case involving the federation, had filled the role on an interim basis and was left as the only candidate for the election due to take place in May.

This week the Spanish government resolved to oversee the scandal-hit organisation “in response to the federation’s crisis”.

“Pedro Rocha has today been proclaimed the new president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), after having received the support of the majority of the assembly members of this institution that governs Spanish football,” said the federation in a statement.

“This was agreed by the electoral commission, which met this morning.”

When the Spanish government’s National Sports Council (CSD) gathered Thursday, deciding to create a committee to oversee the federation, it did not suspend Rocha, which allowed the RFEF to appoint the 69-year-old as chief.

Spain’s leading sports court had issued a report saying the RFEF, led by Rocha on an interim basis after Rubiales resigned, had taken decisions “beyond its remit” in that period.

It was the sport court’s report that led to Thursday’s CSD decision to oversee the federation.

World and European football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA issued a statement Thursday expressing “great concern” at the situation around the RFEF.

“FIFA and UEFA will seek additional information to assess the extent to which the CSD’s appointment (of the committee)... may affect the RFEF’s obligation to manage its affairs independently and without undue government interference,” they said.

Spain is due to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.

Former RFEF president Rubiales eventually quit his post last year after his forcible kiss on the lips of Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso sparked worldwide outrage.

Rubiales and his former vice-president Rocha are both being investigated in the corruption probe.