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Arrest warrant issued against Luis Rubiales, police raid ex-RFEF chief's house as part of Saudi corruption probe
The operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by former RFEF chief Luis Rubiales to move the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
Disgraced former Royal Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales is currently in the headlines as the Spanish police searched his home and RFEF headquarters on Wednesday as part of an investigation into alleged corruption and other crimes, according to reports.
The operation is part of a court investigation into contracts signed by the former RFEF chief to move the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi Arabia. The signed contracts are reportedly worth 40 million euros a year, and were arranged with Gerard Pique's company Kosmos, who were an intermediary.
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Other than Rubiales' house and RFEF headquarters other locations across Spain were also searched. Speaking to Spanish television channel Telecinco, Rubiales said, "I am absolutely surprised by all this. I have been working here for months in the Dominican Republic, I've been here for over a month straight, and in fact, my family was going to come and spend Easter with me."
The football administrator stepped down from his post in September last year, after forcibly kissing Jenni Hermoso after Spain won the Women's World Cup trophy. In January, a Spanish judge said he would face trial for the incident.
"The RFEF has today offered its full cooperation to the police investigation, as well as to the public prosecutor, after the search of its headquarters. Furthermore, the RFEF has called for total transparency in the institution that runs Spanish football. As such, it is keen that the investigation underway should proceed uninhibited until its conclusion," the Spanish federation said in a statement.
Four arrests have already reportedly been made, which includes RFEF's external legal advisor Tomas Gonzale Cueto and two RFEF directors. No arress were made at the headquarters where the national team is also training ahead of their friendlies against Colombia and Brazil. "I had no idea about (the police operation), we trained as normal," said goalkeeper David Raya.
