Wednesday, 17 July 2024

President of the Spanish FA, Pedro Rocha handed two-year ban from football for abuse of authority

The president of the Spanish FA has been handed a two-year ban from football just days after Spain won the 2024 European Championship in Germany. 

Pedro Rocha was appointed to the role of interim head of the RFEF (Spanish federation) in the wake of the resignation of disgraced former president Luis Rubiales. 

His predecessor came under widespread criticism after he forcibly kissed Spain's Jennifer Hermoso during the trophy presentation at the Women's World Cup in the summer of 2023. Rubiales claims the kiss was consensual.

Rubiales was later handed a three-year ban from football activities from FIFA, and will now stand trial over one count of sexual assault and one of coercion for his alleged activities at the prize-giving ceremony. 

Rocha was later handed the role of president permanently, but his conduct during the interim role has since come under scrutiny from Spain's Administrative Tribunal of Sport (TAD). 

The suspended president has been sanctioned by the tribunal for overstepping the limits of his powers in the temporary role, including the decision to dispatch former general secretary Andreu Camps. 

Two further infringements, as per the Mirror, have incurred Rocha additional fines worth £13,880 (€16,527), with TAD ruling that his dismissal of Camps was 'an abuse of his authority'. 

However, Iusport reported on Tuesday evening that Rocha is set to appeal the decision, with the president likely to stay in the role for the duration of the appeal,

Both Rubiales and Rocha are currently under investigation as part of a separate alleged corruption probe over the former's improper management of the Super Cup's relocation to Saudi Arabia. 

When called to the stand in April, Rocha said that he had 'no knowledge nor, therefore, any responsibility for the facts that are being investigated.

Both Rocha and Rubiales have denied any wrongdoing. 

 

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