Portugal referees’ chief suspected in 21 crimes

The chairman of the Portuguese Soccer Federation’s Refereeing Council has been named a suspect in 21 crimes in a police probe into alleged attempts to influence referees, private TSF Radio said on Friday. Jose Antonio Pinto de Sousa was among 16 referees, political figures and club officials detained for questioning on Tuesday. Those being held include the chairman of the Portuguese Professional Soccer League, Valentim Loureiro.

Pinto de Sousa is a suspect in 17 cases of passive corruption, according to a statement read aloud by a court official on TSF. He is also named a suspect in two cases of falsification of documents and two of abuse of power, said the official.

The naming took place in Gondomar, an industrial town about 300 km north of Lisbon and the centre of the investigation. It precedes a formal accusation and followed six hours of questioning late on Thursday by an investigating judge.