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Nicaraguan prosecutors suspect Julio Rocha of taking bribes.
AFP/Geneva
Julio Rocha, the former head of the Nicaraguan Football Federation who was one of seven FIFA officials detained in Switzerland in May, has agreed to be extradited to his home country, the Swiss justice ministry said on Friday.
"At a hearing today, Julio Rocha, former President of the Nicaraguan Football Federation and former FIFA official, agreed to be extradited to Nicaragua," justice ministry spokesman Folco Galli said in a statement.
The Nicaraguan embassy had submitted the extradition request to Swiss justice officials in August, he added.
The US has also demanded Rocha's extradition to face trial as part of its probe into massive graft at world football's governing body.
Galli said before any action is taken, US officials must first agree to give priority to the Nicaraguan request.
"If the US authorities do not agree, the issue will be decided by (Swiss justice officials)," the statement further said.
Nicaraguan prosecutors suspect Rocha of taking "bribes in connection with the award to a US sports marketing agency of marketing rights to soccer matches", Galli said.
The US probe into corruption at FIFA has so far led to charges against 14 people, including seven sports marketing and company executives.
Jeffrey Webb, a native of the Cayman Islands and an ex-FIFA vice president, was extradited to the US last month.
US hopeful more FIFA defendants will be extradited soon
US authorities are hopeful that more of the former FIFA officials and marketing executives who were indicted in May on bribery and corruption charges could soon be extradited to New York, a prosecutor said on Friday.
Speaking during a hearing in Brooklyn federal court in the case of former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb, prosecutor Evan Norris said discussions were ongoing with lawyers for "a number of other defendants overseas" regarding their possible extradition to face the charges.
Only three of the 14 people indicted in the sweeping investigation of international soccer and its governing bodies are currently in the US. Six are in Switzerland, two are in Argentina, one is in Brazil, one is in Paraguay and one is in Trinidad.
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