Carlos Ricardo Benavides, Fedefútbol prosecutor: ‘People like football so much that they care little about where the money comes from’

Carlos Ricardo Benavides, the integrity officer for the Football Federation, has issued a stark warning about the infiltration of organized crime into the sport. Benavides highlighted that the intense passion fans have for football often leads them to overlook or disregard the origins of the money funding the game.

"People like football so much that they care little about where the money comes from," Benavides stated, emphasizing the challenge this presents. He believes that this public indifference, fueled by the sport's popularity, allows illicit financial flows to persist within football ecosystems.

Benavides stressed the urgent need for robust measures to combat this growing problem. His proposed solutions involve a multi-faceted approach, crucially including the active participation and collaboration of governmental authorities. This suggests a recognition that the issue extends beyond the sport's internal governance and requires broader societal and legal intervention to ensure the integrity of football.