Ex-South America soccer president will not fight his extradition to the United States

Photo credit: AFP.

One of the latest soccer officials arrested in Switzerland in the FIFA corruption probe, Juan Angel Napout, has decided not to contest his extradition to the United States, media in his native Paraguay reported Monday. Napout, the ex-president of South American confederation CONMEBOL and a vice president of FIFA, was arrested Thursday morning at a Zurich luxury hotel, one of 16 people named in a new indictment from US authorities investigating allegations of massive corruption at world soccer’s governing body.

Citing his Paraguayan lawyers, newspaper ABC Color reported on its website that Napout, 57, had agreed with his defense team — a Boston-based law firm — to accept immediate extradition to the United States.

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“Mr Napout has declined his right to a hearing before the Swiss authorities and agreed to be immediately extradited to the United States to directly confront the accusations before the US justice system,” the defense team said in a statement quoted by the daily.

“Since his election as CONMEBOL vice president in 2013 and president in 2014… Juan Angel Napout has dedicated himself to promoting and putting in place a policy of transparency and reform.”

Napout was arrested alongside fellow FIFA vice president Alfredo Hawit of Honduras. FIFA on Friday suspended both officials for 90 days.

Both are accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes in return for selling marketing rights for regional tournaments and World Cup qualifying matches.