Media Release

Fédération Internationale de Football Association

FIFA Strasse 20, P.O Box 8044 Zurich, Switzerland, +41 (0) 43 222 7777

Monday 03 April 2017, 14:47

Independent Ethics Committee bans former Guatemalan official

The adjudicatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee chaired by Mr Hans‑Joachim Eckert has banned Mr Brayan Jiménez, the former President of the Guatemalan Football Association (FENAFUTG) and a former member of the FIFA Committee for Fair Play and Social Responsibility, for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level.

The investigation against Mr Jiménez was opened on 4 December 2015 and conducted by Dr Cornel Borbély, the chairman of the investigatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, based on a press release from the United States Department of Justice on 3 December 2015.

On 29 July 2016, Mr Jiménez pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of wire fraud conspiracy. His guilty plea related to two schemes by means of which he asked for and received bribes from sports marketing companies in relation to the awarding of marketing rights for World Cup qualifiers in the UNCAF region and for agreeing to the Guatemalan national team taking part in UNCAF region friendlies.

The adjudicatory chamber found Mr Jiménez guilty of having violated art. 13 (General rules of conduct), 15 (Loyalty), 18 (Duty of disclosure, cooperation and reporting), 19 (Conflicts of interest) and 21 (Bribery and corruption) of the FIFA Code of Ethics (FCE). As a consequence, the official is banned for life from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at national and international level.

The ban comes into force upon notification of the decision.