FIFA hands lifetime ban to Paraguayan club president over 'match manipulation'

Representative image
Representative image

Zurich [Switzerland], September 28 (ANI): FIFA on Monday handed Marco Antonio Trovato Villalba, current President of the Paraguayan Club Olimpia, a lifetime ban after he was found guilty of "match manipulation".
"At its meeting on 24 September 2020, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee found Marco Antonio Trovato Villalba, current President of the Paraguayan Club Olimpia, guilty of match manipulation and of failing to comply with his duty to collaborate during disciplinary proceedings in violation of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," FIFA said in a statement.
FIFA said the decision to sanction Trovato Villalba is related to a "series of matches" that took place between 2018 and 2019, while he was President of the club.
"In its decision, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that Trovato Villalba had breached article 18 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (Manipulation of football matches and competitions), as well as article 20 (Duty to collaborate). In light of the above, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to sanction Trovato Villalba with a lifetime ban from all football-related activity and to order him to pay a fine of CHF 100,000," the statement read.
"The decision was notified to Trovato Villalba on Monday. He has ten days to request the grounds of the decision, after which it will be published on legal.fifa.com," it added.
FIFA said this decision may be appealed before the FIFA Appeal Committee, pursuant to article 56 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. (ANI)