MADRID: The president of the Spanish football league (LFP) Jose Luis Astiazaran has confirmed that he will not seek re-election when his current term ends in April.

Astiazaran, a former president of Real Sociedad, has held the position since 2005 but believes it is now time for someone else to take over.

“For eight years I have carried out work of great intensity and importance with the LFP,” he was quoted as saying on the the organisation’s website.

“They have covered many of the objectives that I entered into, with the mandate of the clubs, when I assumed the presidency eight years ago.

“My time has come to an end. The time has come to pass the baton on to another president of the LFP who, with the necessary majority backing from the management of this organisation, as I have had all this time, can keep advancing on all the issues which benefit the future of professional football.”

In February Astiazaran was implicated in allegations of doping after another former president of Real Sociedad, Inaki Badiola, claimed that club doctors had illegally bought doping products during the league boss’ time in charge.

Another Spanish newspaper El Pais then published documents pertaining to the Operation Puerto trial, in which doctor Eufemiano Fuentes and four co-accused face charges of endangering public health by performing blood transfusions.

The documents showed accounts belonging to clients of Fuentes with the code names “RSOC” and “Asti”.

Astiazaran, though, strongly denied the allegations.

An election date has been set for April 27. Current vice-president Javier Tebas is the strong favourite to succeed Astiazaran. -AFP

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