Soccer world governing body FIFA on Friday confirmed that it has written to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to warn that Spain could be suspended from next year’s FIFA World Cup because of political interference.
Earlier in the day, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Spain had received “no such letter from FIFA.”
The issue centers on the federation’s presidency. Angel Maria Villar, who was also a senior FIFA and UEFA official, resigned after being arrested in July on suspicion of embezzling funds.
Villar was replaced, on an interim basis, by Juan Luis Larrea, another long-time soccer administrator. Even though he is only a stand-in, Larrea has made it clear that he wants to see out Villar’s term, which was due to end in 2020.
The Spanish National Sports Council has objected, which prompted FIFA’s warning, newspaper El Pais reported on Friday.
“We can confirm that FIFA recently sent a letter to the [RFEF] expressing its concern at the current situation in the association and reiterating that, under the FIFA statutes, all member associations must manage their affairs independently and ensure that there is no interference by third parties in internal matters,” a FIFA statement said.
“FIFA is in contact with the RFEF, and a joint FIFA-UEFA delegation will be sent to Madrid shortly to monitor and assess the situation in the association,” the statement added.
The federation and the Spanish government on Friday insisted that Spain would go to the World Cup in Russia.
“I just can’t see that scenario,” Rajoy said at a news conference in Brussels. “I am absolutely convinced Spain will go to the World Cup, and will win.”
Rajoy said the nation’s sports minister had told him that Spanish authorities had “received no official communication from FIFA, but only a letter from a member of FIFA requesting a meeting.”
He said his government’s attitude was “exemplary.”
Villar was re-elected for an eighth term as president in May last year. He had run the federation for 29 years until his arrest on suspicion of creating a network of corruption in Spanish soccer.
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