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Pope withdraws charity agreement over Fifa claims

Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, ended charity link with Conmebol over Fifa corruption claims
Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, ended charity link with Conmebol over Fifa corruption claims Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, ended charity link with Conmebol over Fifa corruption claims

POPE Francis has added to the pressure on Fifa over corruption allegations by refusing donations from its South American federation.

An agreement to support the Vatican's education and sports charity Scholas would have seen $10,000 donated for every goal scored in the Copa America tournament, which kicked off on Thursday in Chile.

However, the Church has now said the Conmebol federation should "abstain from making any money deposits".

The government of Paraguay passed a measure on Thursday to withdraw diplomatic immunity for Conmebol, which has its headquarters in its capital Asuncion.

Archbishop Marcelo Sanchez has also sent a letter to the federation, the Argentine Football Association and a TV company saying the Church is suspending an agreement signed in April, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi confirmed.

According to Conmebol, Pope Francis, a native Argentinian, received a South American delegation in April which included several regional officials, including Venezuelan soccer boss Rafael Esquivel.

Mr Esquivel was one of seven people arrested in Switzerland last week.

Prosecutors in Venzeuela raided the headquarters of the country's football federation led by officers from the country's military intelligence unit.

Mr Esquivel, a member of the Fifa executive committee as well as Conmebol, was replaced as head of the federation following his arrest in Zurich.

He is one of 14 people wanted by US authorities over the Fifa corruption scandal and prosecutors have had his bank accounts be frozen.

"Given the well-known public events that have happened since May 27, I have decided to suspend the application of the agreement until otherwise informed. Please abstain from making any money deposits," Archbishop Sanchez wrote.