By Andrew Warshaw
November 4 – In the latest move in its drive to reform itself and enhance its credibility after becoming shamefully embroiled in world football’s corruption scandal, CONMEBOL have named José Manuel Astigarraga as its new secretary general.
Astigarraga has over 25 years of management experience in financial services, telecommunications and the media and takes over from the controversial Gorka Villar, son of FIFA and UEFA bigwig Angel Maria Villar.
Gorka, who quit the confederation in the summer by “common accord”, worked under three CONMEBOL presidents who were indicted by the US Justice Department in the ongoing bribery scandal and has now followed them out of the organisation. He has long been sought by the authorities in Uruguay over claims he ‘extorted’ eight Uruguayan clubs to withdraw a complaint of corruption filed against CONMEBOL in 2013.
Astigarraga was appointed by new CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez who has seen his three predecessors (Nicolas Leoz, Eugenio Figuereido and Angel Napout) all indicted along with two past general secretaries.
“One of the cornerstones of change of the new CONMEBOL is building an institution that is corporate, professional and modern,” said Dominguez. “That starts with the design of an organisational structure and the formation of a team to respond to the competitive needs of CONMEBOL within the context of the global sports industry.
“José Astigarraga has a proven track record in senior management in various sectors and will contribute his expertise in auditing processes and corporate transformation to ensure transparency of the institution.”
Astigarraga’s appointment is understood to have followed a rigourous recruitment process. ” I have always been passionate about football and I am proud to have the opportunity to contribute a lifetime of experience and professional knowledge to transparency, and reinforcing the management of its (CONMEBOL’s) resources, optimise the operation of the institution and generate more value every day to reinvest in its development,” he said.
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