Yngve Hallén, president of Norway’s national football federation (NFF), was cleared this week of charges that he was involved in corruption while still the manager of the football club in Sogndal. The club, though, was ordered to improve its routines.
Hallén had protested mightily when he was linked to alleged payments involving a player transfer in a new book written by former football agent Knut Høibraaten. The book suggested that Hallén received money under the table in connection with Sogndal’s purchase of goalkeeper Piotr Leciejewski in 2008.
NFF sought help in investigating the alleged bribery from Norway’s national athletics association (Norges Idrettsforbund, NIF), which cleared Hallén in a report delivered this week. Newspaper Aftenposten wrote on Friday that the report, compiled by consulting firm BDO, found that another hired representative of the club, Trond Fylling, had signed forms connected to the purchase as “head of club” even though he was not employed by Sogndal at the time. Fylling, a former Sogndal manager, received payment for his services, not the actual “head of club,” Hallén.
Club management has now been instructed to ensure better control over those given signing authority for the club. Hallén was relieved he’d been cleared.
newsinenglish.no staff
