MEXICO CITY—Canadian football chief, Victor Montagliani, has been elected president CONCACAF, as the beleaguered confederation looks for a fresh start after being engulfed by a corruption scandal over the last 12 months.
The businessman beat Bermuda Football Association president, Larry Mussenden, 25-16 in elections at the CONCACAF Congress here yesterday, marking the first time a non-Caribbean national has been elected to the highest office of the organization.
Costa Rican Rodolfo Villalobos was, meanwhile, elected to the CONCACAF Council as a Vice-President while Cuban Luis Hernandez, Panamanian Pedro Chaluja and Sonia Bien-Aime of Turks and Caicos, were chosen to represent CONCACAF on the FIFA Council – formerly the executive committee.
“The mandate of the new CONCACAF President and CONCACAF Council Members will start after the conclusion of the Congress,” the confederation said. Montagliani will now oversee a scandal-weary confederation which serves as the governing body for football in North, Central America and the Caribbean.
The last three heads of the confederation have all been besieged by corruption. Trinidadian Jack Warner resigned amidst bribery allegations in 2011 and his replacement, Caymanian Jeff Webb, was arrested and charged last year May and subsequently pleaded guilty to racketeering and money laundering conspiracy.
Honduran Alfredo Hawit, who served as interim president in Webb’s absence, last month admitted to racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Both Webb and Hawit are awaiting sentencing while Warner is fighting extradition to the United States to face charges.
The fallout from the latest corruption scandal led to CONCACAF instituting another round of reforms, pertaining to governance and ethics.
CMC