Tax authorities in Costa Rica searched the offices of the national soccer federation on Tuesday looking for allegedly withheld information about revenue from a friendly against Argentina in March.
Tax authorities director Francisco Villalobos said there were suspicions that financial information provided by the federation about the match was ''not authentic, not completely clear.''
''There are sufficient elements to believe documentation was hidden,'' Villalobos said.
Soccer federation president Eduardo Li was quoted as saying by newspaper La Nacion that the move was a government ''circus.''
''Just because of the presumption of one person (Villalobos), it's assumed we are hiding information and a media show is put on,'' Li said.
Authorities obtained an order from a judge to carry out the search Tuesday morning.
About 35,000 fans packed National Stadium for the March 29 game in the capital San Jose, which finished scoreless.
Costa Rica is due to play World and European champion Spain in a friendly on Nov. 15.
