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Former head of Nicaraguan football association to be extradited

Xinhua, May 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Swiss Federal Court has ruled Julio Rocha, the former president of the Nicaraguan Football Federation, can be extradited to the United States, local press reported on Monday.

Rocha, who was arrested in Switzerland nearly a year ago, lost his appeal fighting extradition, Nicaraguan daily El Nuevo Diario reported.

Rocha's defense team had requested he be extradited to Nicaragua to face legal charges for his role in the web of corruption at world soccer body FIFA, which is headquartered in the Swiss city of Zurich.

The former soccer official is accused of having accepted more than 100,000 U.S. dollars in bribes in 2011 to assign the broadcasting rights to major soccer matches.

Rocha is expected to be extradited to the United States soon in the custody of U.S. officials, as has happened with the six other football officials who were arrested with him on May 27 in Zurich.

Rocha, 65, led the Nicaraguan soccer body between 1988 and 2012, and headed the FIFA Development Office for Central America from 2012 until his arrest. Endit