Swiss grant American request to extradite FIFA development officer in bribery case

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Nicaragua\'s Soccer Federation President Julio Roch looks on after cutting a ceremonial ribbon to inaugurate the construction of a new National Soccer Stadium in Managua, Nicaragua, on April 14, 2011. Switzerland\'s justice ministry has granted an American request to extradite a FIFA development officer in the FIFA bribery case. Julio Rocha was the president of Nicaraguan soccer federation for nearly three decades before leaving in 2012, when FIFA hired him to be in charge of the sport\'s development in Mexico and Central America. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Esteban Felix

BERN, Switzerland – Switzerland’s justice ministry has granted an American request to extradite a FIFA development officer in the FIFA bribery case.

Julio Rocha was the president of Nicaraguan soccer federation for nearly three decades before leaving in 2012, when FIFA hired him to be in charge of the sport’s development in Mexico and Central America.

The Swiss ministry says Rocha is accused of “demanding and taking bribes of $150,000 for himself and another soccer official in connection with the sale of marketing rights to (Nicaragua’s) World Cup 2018 qualifiers to a U.S. sports marketing company.”

Rocha can appeal the extradition order at Switzerland’s federal criminal court within 30 days.

The U.S. previously blocked Nicaragua’s attempt to extradite Rocha.

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