Alejandro Domínguez was reelected president of Conmebol (South American Football Confederation) this Thursday (12), after the 81st Ordinary Congress of the entity, in the city of Luque, outside Assumption.
“With a lot of passion, I renew my commitment. I am excited to move on with the work we started,” said Domínguez.
The Paraguayan leader has been president of Conmebol since 2016 and, with his reelection, will continue in office until 2029.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a message that Domínguez “has done an excellent job ahead of Conmebol in recent years and his reelection is deserved”
“Football will unite the world,” Infantino emphasized.
Alejandro Domínguez assumed the presidency of Conmebol after the “FIFAGATE” case, the largest corruption scandal in football, which led to the arrest of several leaders around the world in 2015.
Since then, the entity has recovered more than $ 130 million (about $ 720 million in the current price) diverted.
Controversy on racism
Paraguayan Alejandro Domínguez was involved in a major controversy in saying in March this year that Libertadores without Brazil would be “Tarzan without Chita”.
The statement was made in an interview with journalists after the Libertadores group stage draw.
Domínguez apologized for the statements in a note published early Tuesday afternoon (18) on his social networks.
“The expression I used is a popular phrase and never intended to belittle or disqualify anyone,” he wrote in X, former Twitter.
“I always promoted respect and inclusion in football and society, fundamental values for Conmebol,” he added.
The questioning about the eventual absence of Brazilian teams in the competition came after Palmeiras president, Leila Pereira, suggest that the country’s clubs exchanged Conmebol for Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central and Caribbean Football Associations).
Domínguez is the son of one of the leading names in football leadership in Paraguay, Osvaldo Domínguez Dibb (or “Odd”, as he was known), killed last year at the age of 83 after a career in front of the Olimpia, when the club became internationally known. The family has Syrian origin.
In his father’s wake, the first positions he held were at Olimpia, where he was a member of the board, interim president and vice. For seven years, Domínguez was also vice president of the Paraguayan Football Association, of which years later, from 2014 to 2016, was president. He arrived at the head of Conmebol in 2016 and occupied the position nine years ago.
(With local report)
