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ZURICH — FIFA has banned a Venezuelan soccer official from the sport for five years for financial wrongdoing. It also fined Manuel Álvarez nearly $1 million. Álvarez was secretary general of the Venezuelan soccer federation when his conduct enabled the "misappropriation and misuse" of its and FIFA's money. FIFA says its ethics committee had also charged Álvarez with breaching "duty of loyalty" and "general duties" under its code. FIFA gave no details about the financial misconduct. Soccer's governing body makes at least $2 million available in funding each year to all 211 member federations.
