The Albany Gazette - Spanish football chief to keep job after appeal granted

Louzan was elected federation chief in December 2024 on a four-year mandate despite having been banned from holding public office for seven years by a Spanish court.

The 57-year-old was convicted during his tenure as president of the Pontevedra Provincial Council in 2022 for his involvement in awarding a contract to improve a football pitch in the town of Morana, when most of the work had already been completed.

"We must absolve Rafael Louzan (and others) of the crime of administrative prevarication of which they were accused," said the Supreme Court in a verdict seen by AFP.

The court's decision is positive news for a federation embroiled in turmoil for years, with Louzan's three predecessors all forced to step down because of involvement in legal cases, including Luis Rubiales, currently on trial for his forcible kiss on Jenni Hermoso.

Angel Maria Villar was ousted in 2018 after having been suspended the year prior, when he and his son were arrested on suspicion of corruption, among several other accusations.

He was followed by Rubiales, who resigned in disgrace in September 2023 after worldwide outrage at his kiss, which Hermoso says she did not consent to.

Rubiales was followed by Pedro Rocha, who was suspended for overstepping his duties once he arrived on an interim basis, before he was elected.

Spanish sports minister Pilar Alegria criticised the RFEF earlier Thursday.

"The image the football federation has transmitted has not been particularly positive or constructive," she told TVE.

"If we look back, the last few presidents of the football federation have all finished up because of court cases... I don't think the fans deserve this."

Despite the institutional chaos, Spain's men team won Euro 2024 while the women's team lifted the 2023 World Cup.

Spain are set to co-host the 2030 men's World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco.

(M.Scott--TAG)