Alfredo Hawit insists he was ‘not involved in anything’ illegal

Photo credit: AFP.

Top FIFA official Alfredo Hawit asserts he is “not involved in anything” illegal following his arrest in Switzerland on Thursday, his predecessor in charge of soccer in Honduras said.

Rafael Callejas, the previous chief of Honduras’ FENAFUTH soccer federation and a former Honduran president, said he had spoken with Hawit, who ran the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).

“He assured and guaranteed that he was not involved in anything” illicit.

Callejas added: “I have great faith that he will be exculpated.”

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However the other CONCACAF directors have called an emergency meeting to name an interim president to replace Hawit.

Hawit, a 64-year-old Honduran, was arrested in Zurich along with another FIFA official, South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) president Juan Angel Napout. They are suspected of taking bribes for the sale of marketing rights to regional tournaments and World Cup qualifying matches. The United States is seeking their extradition.

CONMEBOL issued a statement after Napout’s arrest saying it will cooperate in the investigation of the charges.

Paraguay’s sports minister, former tennis player Victor Pecci, told AFP he was surprised by the arrest of Napout — a friend since childhood — and hoped the matter would be elucidated as soon as possible.