CONCACAF general secretary sacked as fallout from FIFA corruption scandal continues

Enrique Sanz has been sacked as CONCACAF general secretary as the fallout from the FIFA scandal continues ©Getty Images

Colombian Enrique Sanz has been sacked from his role as general secretary of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) as the fallout from the United States investigation into widespread corruption within FIFA continues.

According to news agency Reuters, Sanz has been dismissed from a position he has held since July 2012.

The news was reportedly confirmed by the Colombian’s lawyer, with a source close to the Confederation stating that he “was terminated from his employment with CONCACAF this week”.

CONCACAF had placed Sanz on "indefinite leave" after President Jack Warner was one of nine FIFA officials and five other executives to be indicted on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.

He was then one of three officials banned from carrying out any football-related activities by FIFA’s Independent Ethics Committee along with Jean Guy Blaise Mayolas and Badji Mombo Wantete, vice-president and general secretary of Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) respectively, at the request of Dr Cornel Borbély, chairman of the Ethics Committee’s Investigatory Chamber.

The development marks another black mark against CONCACAF after Chuck Blazer, general secretary for 21 years between 1990 and 2011, was banned from the sport for life after admitting accepting bribes.

The 70-year-old became a whistleblower for the FBI, working undercover with prosecutors in the US after pleading guilty to charges of bribery, money laundering and tax evasion.

CONCACAF have been one of the main culprits in the FIFA scandal and former general secretary Chuck Blazer was recently banned from football for life ©Getty Images

The news follows the worst corruption scandal to hit world football’s much-maligned governing body, subsequently causing FIFA President Sepp Blatter to announce he was to step down just days after being re-elected for a fifth term.

The Swiss’ reign is set to come to an end on February 26 when FIFA holds an Extraordinary Elective Congress in Zurich to choose his successor.

UEFA President Michel Platini, former Brazilian international Zico, South Korean Chung Mong-joon and Liberian FA President Musa Bility are the four names mooted as replacements for Blatter, head of FIFA since 1998.

In addition to the US-led inquiry into corruption, Swiss authorities are examining the 2018 and 2022 World Cup voting process in a separate investigation.

Brazilian police are also set to examine allegations of corruption at the 2014 World Cup, after their Senate, led by World Cup winner turned senator Romario, opened a formal inquiry.