Nicolás Leoz

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Leoz and the second or maternal family name is Almirón.
Nicolás Leoz

Nicolás Leoz
President of CONMEBOL
In office
1 May 1986 (1986-05-01) – 30 April 2013 (2013-04-30)
Preceded by Teófilo Salinas Fuller
Succeeded by Eugenio Figueredo
Personal details
Born Nicolás Leoz Almirón
(1928-09-10) September 10, 1928
Pirizal, Chaco Paraguayo, Paraguay
Nationality  Paraguay,  Colombia
Spouse(s) María Clemencia Pérez
Profession Journalist

Nicolás Leoz Almirón (born September 10, 1928) was President of CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) from 1986 to 2013. Leoz assumed the presidency in 1986 (succeeding Teófilo Salinas Fuller) and in February 2006, he was reelected as President for a sixth term. He is Paraguayan and he received Colombian citizenship in 2008. On April 23, 2013, Leoz resigned from both the FIFA Executive Committee and the CONMEBOL presidency, citing health issues.[1]

Before his position as President of CONMEBOL, Leoz was President of the Justice Department of the Paraguayan Basketball Confederation (1957–1959), President of Paraguayan Soccer Club Libertad (1969–1970 and 1974–1977), President of the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (1971–1973 and 1979–1985) and Vice President of CONMEBOL (1972–1974 and 1980–1986).

In November 2010 he was alleged by the BBC to have taken bribes in the 1990s regarding the awarding of World Cup television rights.

Youth and early career

Leoz was born in Pirizal, Chaco Paraguayo, Paraguay. His childhood was spent in Pirizal, 78 km. in the industrial complex of Carlos Casado, near the Paraguay River, Puerto Casado today is known as Puerto La Victoria.

From 1940–1950, Leoz was a sports journalist in radio media and the press, with teachers, peers and colleagues like Halley Gerardo Mora Pedro García, Nestor Romero Valdovinos, Milciades Aguayo, Sindulfo Martínez. In 1957, he studied Law at the School of Law and Social Sciences of the UNA (National University of Asunción) and as a student took office in Judiciary as a scribe in interrogations; he graduated December 24, 1957 at 29 years age.

From 1950 to 1962, he was a history teacher at the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, Nacional de Niñas and Comercio. He was also director of aluminum enterprise and agricultural livestock.

From 1957 to 1977, he was President of the Tribunal de Justicia de la Confederación Paraguaya de Básquetbol.

Timeline of football career

Year Main Activities
1968 – 1977 President of Club Libertad.
1971 – 1973; 1979 – 1985 President of Liga Paraguaya de Fútbol.
1972 – 1974;
1980 – 1986		 Vice-President of CONMEBOL.
1986 – 2013 President of CONMEBOL, a position he assumed on May 1, 1986 20 years when reelected in 5 periods in different Congresses in cities Bogota, Asuncion three times and Mar del Plata on.
1998 – 2013 Member of the Executive FIFA, representing South America.
2002 – 2004 Member of the committees of the entity Security and Fair Play, emergency, Strategic Studies, organizer of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Organizer of the Cup FIFA, and Confederations Task Force of 2004.

Corruption allegations

In November 2010, Andrew Jennings, the presenter of FIFA's Dirty Secrets, an edition of BBC's flagship current affairs programme Panorama alleged that Leoz had taken bribes in the 1990s regarding the awarding of contracts for the sale of television rights to the football World Cup.[2] Panorama claimed to have obtained a confidential document from a company called ISL which showed that Leoz was paid $730,000 by the company. ISL won the contract to distribute the television rights.[2] Leoz has not responded to the allegations.[2]

In May 2011, Lord Triesman named Leoz while giving evidence at a Parliamentary inquiry into football governance in London. Nicolas Leoz has been accused of requesting an honorary knighthood in reward for supporting a World Cup bid for England.[3] It was later revealed in email exchanges involving his aide that Leoz would consider visiting England if the FA Cup, the oldest association football competition in the world, were to be named after him.[4][5][6]

On April 23, 2013, Leoz announced his resignation of CONMEBOL presidency to take place on April 30, 2013.

On June 3, 2015, Leoz was named on a INTERPOL Red Notice.[7]

Family

Leoz is the son of Gregory Leoz Latorre (born in Navarre, Spain) and Patron Almirón Bogarín (born in Luque, Paraguay) daughter of then judge Peace Luque. His brothers are Guillermo, Pomposa, Sara, Eusebio, Cesar, Modesto and Maria Teresa. He also has two brothers, Isidore and Cesareo from his father when he married Eudosia Carmen Zorrilla.

His paternal grandparents were Cesareo Leoz Guinda and Miguel Latorre. His paternal great-grandparents were Leoz Ramon Manuel and Manuela Guinda Baztam.

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "Nicolas Leoz walks as Fifa’s old guard disbands". GulfNews.com. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  2. 1 2 3 "Panorama: Three Fifa World Cup officials took bribes - BBC News". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  3. ↑ "Triesman Blows the Lid on Flawed World Cup Bid Process". Worldfootballinsider.com. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  4. ↑ "Review of Allegations of Misconduct in Relation to the FA's 2015 World Cup Bid : Summary of the Report to the FA" (PDF). Fifa.com. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  5. ↑ Scott, Robin (2011-05-31). "Fifa member 'wanted FA Cup to be named after him' - News & Comment - Football". The Independent. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  6. ↑ "Nicolas Leoz aide asked for FA Cup to be named after him - ESPN FC". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 2011-05-30. Retrieved 2015-04-24.
  7. ↑ "INTERPOL issues Red Notices for former FIFA officials and executives wanted by US authorities". www.interpol.int. 2015-06-03. Retrieved 2015-04-24.

Bibliography

External links

Preceded by
Teófilo Salinas Fuller		 President of CONMEBOL
1986–2013 		Succeeded by
Eugenio Figueredo
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