Asuncion (AFP)
The former president of the Confederation of South America (Conmebol), Juan Angel Napout, who is serving a 9-year prison sentence in Miami for corruption in the "Fifagate", contracted the Covid-19, announced Monday his lawyer.
"He could hardly speak any more when his wife called him. He had a very itchy throat" and problems breathing, his lawyer José Gonzalez told 730 AM radio in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, which is originally from Mr. Napout and where the headquarters of Conmebol are located.
"He is diabetic, suffers from hypertension and is very stressed," added the lawyer, confirming that his client was positive for the new coronavirus, stressing that "his state of health was very serious".
This announcement comes a little over a week after the rejection for the second time by the American justice of a request for an adjustment of sentence for Mr. Napout, 62, so that the latter can be placed under house arrest.
The lawyer said he was going to apply for a transfer so that his client could serve the remainder of his sentence, another 5 years, in his country, Paraguay.
According to the defense, there are 70 cases of Covid-19 among inmates and 7 among staff in the Florida penitentiary where Mr. Napout is being held.
In early April, federal judge Pamela Chen refused a request for Mr. Napout's release linked to the coronavirus pandemic, believing that there was a significant risk of the Paraguayan leaving the territory.
In addition to his 9-year prison sentence, Mr. Napout was also fined $ 1 million and returned $ 3.3 million in bribes collected as part of a massive scandal of corruption within Fifa
The former South American football official, who was also FIFA vice president, appeared in the United States at the end of 2017, during a six-week trial that exposed millions of dollars in bribes paid by sports marketing companies, in exchange for the rights to broadcast TV and promote tournaments on the continent, including the Copa America and the Copa Libertadores.
© 2020 AFP