FIFA bans three former presidents for life as part of crackdown on corruption

The ethics committee of World football governing body, (FIFA) has placed a lifetime ban on former presidents of the Guam, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan football associations for corruption.

Ex-Guam FA boss Richard Lai, a former Asian Football Confederation (AFC) official, and FIFA committee member, pleaded guilty to fraud in the United States after an investigation into his case was opened in April.

Lai was banned from all football-related activities alongside, a former Venezuelan FA chief Rafael Esquivel and ex-Nicaraguan FA president Julio Rocha who both also pleaded guilty in the United States to separate federal charges ranging from wire fraud to racketeering and money laundering.

Meanwhile, three more ex-South American football bosses,  Peru's Manuel Burga, Brazilian Jose Maria Marin and Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay are also on trial in New York. They have also pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud, money-laundering, and racketeering.