Bribery Scandal Hits English Soccer

The head of English soccer quit Tuesday amid questions regarding a $5.3-million loan in the latest potential bribery scandal to hit sports.

The resignation of Graham Kelly, chief executive of the English Football Assn., arises from a loan promised to the Welsh Football Assn. Newspaper reports have interpreted the loan as an attempted bribe by English FA chairman Keith Wiseman to help him gain a top job with FIFA, soccer’s governing body.

English FA spokesman David Davies said executive committee members accepted Kelly’s resignation and passed a vote of no confidence regarding Wiseman although the English FA chairman refused to quit.

The executive committee decided Davies would take over Kelly’s position on an interim basis and vice chairman Geoff Thompson would take Wiseman’s position, pending an FA Council meeting.