When the final whistle signaled the end Peru vs New Zealand On the night of November 15, 2017, football fans from across the country celebrated a historic milestone, that of an entire generation. Qualifying for Russia 2018 had come a long way and while it wasn’t repeated for Qatar, the 36-year wait had become far more dramatic over the past decade, particularly for a figure known as Manuel Burga.
The twice re-elected presidency of the Peruvian Football Federation For a long time he was considered a central figure in the late decline of Peruvian football.
Manuel Burga during the years he was under investigation. Photo: Public Eye
What happened to Manuel Burga and how did he leave the FPF?
On October 4, 2002, after an unsuccessful qualifier for Korea Japan, the FPF he chose Burga to succeed Nicolás Delfino.
In the 1990s, the EXCO model (board) became the FIFA benefited greatly. It consisted of just 24 executives who decided where the World Cups would be held, and the huge pot of gold that endorsement deals had brought to football since the 1980s created a black market of influences that was only discovered decades later.
In South America, for their part, those who had been leaders in the federations for long decades became common. first was Julio Grondona in Argentina (President from 1979 to 2014), Ricardo Teixeira in Brazil (from 1989 to 2012) and later with Manuel Burga in Peru.
For years, fans, journalists and even former athletes have publicly repudiated Burga’s leadership of the FPF. Beyond sports politics, his time was overshadowed by many suspected acts of corruption that even went beyond the national.
Why was Manuel Burga arrested?
In December 2015, Manuel Burga was arrested as part of the investigation into the FIFA corruption scandal, also known as “FIFAgate‘. Five years later, his wife was included for her alleged role in the money laundering crime.
During the investigation, the former leader was sanctioned with a ban on holding any football-related positions (administrative, sporting or otherwise) at national or international level. He was also fined over a million dollars.
Edwin Oviedo, Manuel Burga’s successor in the FPF presidency, along with Ricardo Gareca, the coach who qualified Peru for a World Cup after 36 years. Photo: The Republic
What triggered the investigation into Manuel Burga?
On December 2, 2010, FIFA organized the official announcement of the choice of the venue for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Government officials and world-renowned personalities also came to Switzerland.
Prince William of England, accompanied by David Beckham, was there (to support England’s nomination) and Bill Clinton did the same for the United States.
We already know the result. Russia and Qatar were elected and their delegations were quickly accused of vote-buying. A practice that had been known for some time but now, with the election of two nations with authoritarian governments, had swamped the camels’ backs.
Fifa President Sepp Blatter resigned from the body in 2015 amid the corruption scandal. Photo: The Spectator
This sparked FIFA’s biggest corruption scandal to hit the headlines between 2015 and 2016.
The United States FBI and IRS-CI launched an investigation into bribery, fraud and money laundering. Collusion between Conmebol and Concacaf officials has been uncovered. Among them was Manuel Burga Seoane, who had recently lost his third nomination for President of the FPF.
List of leaders accused by the FBI
The list of defendants was as follows:
- Carlos Chávez Landivar (Bolivia)
- Eugenio Figueredo (Uruguay)
- Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis (Argentina)
- Juan Angel Napout and Nicholas Leoz (Paraguay)
- Jose Maria Marin (Brazil)
- Julio Rocha Lopez (Nicaragua)
- Takkas Coasts (Cayman Islands)
- Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Manuel Burga Seoane (Peru).
leaders who pleaded guilty
Among those who have pleaded guilty in the investigation are:
- Chuck Blazer and Aaron Davidson (USA)
- Alejandro Burzaco (Argentina)
- Rafael Esquivel (Venezuela)
- José Hawilla and José Margulies (Brazil)
- Alfredo Hawit (Nicaragua)
- Daryan Warner and Daryll Warner (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Sergio Jadue (Chile)
- Jeffrey Webb (Cayman Islands)
- Edward Li (Costa Rica)
- Empresas Traffic Sports International and Traffic Sports USA.
Where is Manuel Burga?
Burga was extradited to the United States during investigations. However, at the end of 2019, the former front runner appealed to the CAS noting that the sanction imposed by FIFA violated his right of defense and that the sentence imposed was unfounded.
This was possible after Manuel Burga was acquitted by a New York jury, which found he was the only innocent of the 42 accused of the same charge (“FIFAgate”). With such a decision, Burga appealed to the CAS against FIFA’s statements. In April 2022, the TAS resolution lifted all sanctions imposed on them.
Manuel Burga in 2019. Photo: The Republic