Spain’s government has appointed former national team coach Vicente del Bosque to lead a special committee overseeing the scandal-ridden Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), the national football federation until new elections are held, Sports Minister Pilar Alegria announced Tuesday.
Del Bosque, 73, renowned for guiding Spain to victory in the 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euro championship, as well as leading Real Madrid to Champions League glory in 2000 and 2002, was chosen for his “commitment to sport and his country.”
The RFEF has faced recent scandals, including a corruption probe and controversy stemming from former RFEF chief Luis Rubiales’s unsolicited kiss of player Jenni Hermoso at the awards ceremony following Spain’s victory in the women’s World Cup in Sydney last year.
The government, keen to move on from the issues within the RFEF as Spain gears up to co-host the 2030 World Cup, hopes Del Bosque’s appointment gives the special committee clout and breathing room.
It said it “expects RFEF, FIFA and UEFA to collaborate with the committee” overseeing the national federation.
“Del Bosque represents the best our country’s football has to offer, not only because of his sporting successes,” Alegria told reporters. “He is the clearest representation of a good person, of great human quality, and an example of honesty. Del Bosque will be the face and the representation of Spanish football.”
FIFA and UEFA said last week they were monitoring the situation in Spain with “great concern” after Madrid took over the RFEF. FIFA’s regulations state that members must manage their affairs independently and without external influence.
The National Sports Council, the government agency responsible for sport, said the special committee was created as “a constructive response to the reputational crisis RFEF has been experiencing for some time.”
Del Bosque will oversee the RFEF until new elections are called after the 2024 Paris Olympics end in August.
The RFEF is now run by Rubiales’ former vice president, Pedro Rocha. Rocha has been serving as interim president since Rubiales quit in September, despite being under investigation in a corruption probe.
A judge investigated Rocha this month after Spanish police searched the RFEF headquarters in March. Rocha said this month that he had “no knowledge nor, therefore, any responsibility for the facts that are being investigated.”
Sources told Reuters the National Sports Council had postponed for the second time Tuesday a decision on whether to take action itself over separate disciplinary proceedings opened against Rocha on which the Administrative Court of Sport is expected to rule in the coming weeks.
