MEXICO CITY, Oct 25, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The executive chairman of Televisa, the
world's largest Spanish-language network, has stepped aside pending the
outcome of a US judicial probe linked to soccer governing body FIFA, the
company said Thursday.

Televisa was in 2017 implicated in a corruption case in the United States
related to the alleged payment of bribes to FIFA officials to secure
broadcasting rights for World Cup matches.

At the time, Emilio Azcarraga Jean was CEO of Televisa Group -- which was
founded by his grandfather -- and the company rejected the accusations as
having no legal basis.

On Thursday, it said in a statement to investors that its board had approved
a proposal for Azcarraga "to take an administrative leave, effective
immediately, pending resolution of the investigation by the Department of
Justice into certain FIFA-related activity".

The decision comes about two months after Televisa said it had learned of a
US investigation "of FIFA-related activity" which could have material impact
on the company's financial situation.

It said that it could not predict the outcome of the investigation.

Televista added in the Thursday statement that it was "continuing to
cooperate with the investigation".

The next World Cup will be held in 2026 in the United States, Mexico and
Canada.