FIFA officially announced this Friday the sanction against the president of the Panamanian Football Federation (FPF), Manuel Arias Corco, after the derogatory remarks he made about a player on the women's national team. The measure includes a six-month suspension and a fine exceeding $24,000, deepening the internal crisis that has plagued the Panamanian leadership since the beginning of the year.

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According to the statement, “the president of the Panamanian Football Federation, Manuel Arias Corco, is suspended from any football-related activity for six months and must pay a fine of 20,000 CHF (Swiss francs) ($24,741).”

The international federation indicates that the resolution is based on non-compliance with sections 1 and 2 of article 24 of the Code of Ethics, related to the protection of physical and mental integrity. The case originated from comments made by Arias, who called footballer Marta Cox "out of shape" and "fat," generating widespread public outrage.

A Repeated Sanction and the FPF's Position

The Federation reported that it was notified of "a new sanction imposed on Mr. Manuel Arias, president of the FPF, by the FIFA Ethics Committee for allegedly not having fully complied with the sanction imposed on January 16, 2025." That initial punishment established another six-month suspension for "the improper use of language," a period that extended until July 2025.

In August, FIFA opened an additional procedure for a possible breach of Article 21 of the Disciplinary Code, referring to the ban on access to stadiums. The agency noted that Arias had attended sports venues despite the imposed restriction, which prompted this new sanction that extends his disqualification until May 21, 2026.The Panamanian federation stated in a press release that it “remains unaffiliated with any past or present proceedings before any FIFA jurisdictional body and that this sanction imposed on the president does not affect, nor will it affect, the normal functioning of the institution.” It also specified that, according to its statutes, First Vice President Fernando Arce will assume Arias's duties for the duration of the suspension. In addition to the Panamanian case, FIFA announced sanctions against officials from other federations. The former general secretary of the Venezuelan Football Federation, Manuel Alvarez, was banned for five years and ordered to pay $993,603.93 for violations of Articles 29, 16, and 14 of the Code of Ethics, related to embezzlement, breach of confidentiality, and general duties. The file indicates that Alvarez committed “omissions, inattention, mismanagement, and negligence” that allowed for the misuse of resources. Gustavo Ndong, former president of the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation, was also sanctioned with a three-year ban and a fine of 10,000 Swiss francs. The ruling cites violations of rules regarding the duty of loyalty, conflict of interest, acceptance of benefits, and abuse of office, for approving and receiving undue economic advantages while serving as president of FEGUIFUT.

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