Spain's FA boss arrested amid corruption raids

Spain's football chief Angel Maria Villar arrested amid corruption raids

The sports minister warns "nobody is above the law" as the man who oversaw a glorious period for Spanish football is arrested.

Angel Maria Villar was detained along with several other executives.

Spain's football chief, Angel Maria Villar, and his son have been arrested as part of a corruption probe.

They were detained as police raided offices belonging to the Spanish Football Federation in Madrid.

Villar, his son Gorka, and three other federation executives were arrested, said Spanish police.

The three others are vice-president of economic affairs Juan Padron, and the president and the secretary of the
regional federation for Tenerife.

Police said the five men were arrested on charges of improper management, misappropriation of funds, corruption and falsifying documents.

A judicial source told the AFP news agency the investigation is looking at allegations that profits were skimmed off from international matches.

Gorka Villar used to work for South America'a football body.

Angel Maria Villar, 67, sits on FIFA's executive committee and is a senior vice president of UEFA.

He has been head of Spain's football federation for nearly 30 years.

The former Athletic Bilbao player oversaw the Spanish national team's wins at the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.

His son, Gorka, worked for South American football body CONMEBOL as legal director and director general until July 2016.

Villar's period in charge has seen the national side win a series of major trophies

Spain's minister for sport, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, appeared on television after the raids.

"In Spain the laws are enforced, the laws are the same for all, and nobody, nobody is above the law," he said.

UEFA said it was aware of the reports but declined to comment.