UEFA Europa League

Detained head of Czech soccer federation resigns

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:56 p.m. ET

PRAGUE (AP) The Czech soccer federation says its detained chairman has resigned from his post.

Miroslav Pelta has been in custody since May 3, when police raided the federation headquarters. Police also raided the offices of FK Jablonec, a provincial first-division club partly owned by Pelta.

Prosecutors are investigating possible fraud involving Pelta, the federation and two education ministry senior officials in connection with state subsidies from the ministry. Education Minister Katerina Valachova already resigned over the scandal.

Pelta has denied any wrongdoing but a Prague court ruled in favor of a prosecution request for Pelta to stay detained.

The federation is divided over who should replace Pelta and failed to elect a new chairman last week. Because of that, Pelta was formally still holding the post until Tuesday's resignation.

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