Judge grants bail for Spanish federation president

Angel Maria Villar (right)

A Spanish judge granted bail yesterday to the suspended president of the Spanish Football Federation, who is in jail for suspected corruption.

Angel Maria Villar was denied bail by National Court judge Santiago Pedraz on July 20, two days after the 67-year-old Villar, his son and two other soccer officials were arrested during police raids. But Judge Pedraz granted bail to Villar, his son Gorka Villar and suspended federation vice president Juan Padron yesterday.

The bail for Villar and Padron was set at 300,000 euros (USD352,000), and for Gorka Villar at 150,000 euros ($176,000).

Judge Pedraz confiscated their passports and ordered that the three suspects make weekly appearances at the court and provide a phone number to reach them at all times.

A statement by the court said the judge made the decision to grant them bail because “the steps that have already been taken […] make it difficult for them to interfere with the investigation.”

A fourth suspect, Ramon Hernandez, had already been granted and paid a bail of 100,000 euros ($117,000).

A state prosecutor accused them of improper management, misappropriation of funds, corruption and falsifying documents.

Villar, who ran the Spanish soccer federation since 1988, was suspended from the presidency for one year last week by Spain’s top sports authority. He also resigned from his vice presidencies of both FIFA and UEFA.

Villar is suspected of misappropriating private and public funds received by the federation since 2009. AP