World football governing body, FIFA, has temporarily suspended a member of its financial watchdog after he was arrested on suspicion of corruption and money-laundering in his native Cayman Islands.
Canover Watson, who is a vice president of the Caribbean Football Union and member of FIFA’s audit and compliance committee, was arrested by police in the Cayman Islands on suspicion of corruption and money laundering.
He has been bailed until September 29 but the committee’s Chairman, Domenico Scala, has announced Watson has been relieved of his duties until the outcome of the investigation.
“After a preliminary clarification of the facts of the case and the allegations of the Cayman Island investigating authorities against Canover Watson, no connection with football and/or his role at association level has been established at this stage,” said FIFA in a statement.
“The investigation continues. The chairman has decided to temporarily relieve until further notice, Canover Watson, to whom the presumption of innocence applies, of his duties on the FIFA Audit and Compliance Committee.
“This should not be regarded as routine procedure, because cases like this or of this nature must always be assessed on their individual merits.”
Watson has denied the charges and has been released on bail in the British overseas territory. The allegations refer to Watson’s time as the head of Cayman’s Health Service Authority and also include a police investigation into the introduction of a swipe card system.
Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Commissioner, David Baines, in a statement to local media, said that Watson was suspected of “breach of trust contrary to section 13 of the Cayman Islands Anti-Corruption Law, as well as abuse of public office… and conflict of interest.”
The eight-member audit panel is next scheduled to meet on December 16 in Morocco. It scrutinises FIFA’s $1billion-plus annual revenue and commercial contracts.