Geneva, Sep 24 (IANS): The Swiss government has approved the extradition of the former head of the Venezuelan Football Federation, Rafael Esquivel, to the US.

Esquivel, who was appointed to leading positions within the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), will have a 30-day period to appeal the decision on his extradition, while the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland will have the last word, reports Efe.

Esquivel, 69, is one of six football officials, who are still under detention in Switzerland over the corruption scandal that hit world football's governing body FIFA earlier this year.

Jeffrey Webb, one of the defendants and former FIFA vice president, turned himself in to New York police in July.

The American judiciary has accused Esquivel of accepting millions of dollars' worth of bribes in exchange for services allocating marketing rights during the 2007, 2015, 2019 and 2023 editions of Copa America.

All suspects were arrested on May 27 in Zurich, two days before Sepp Blatter was re-elected the president of FIFA.

However, Blatter resigned a few days after his victory and his successor will be elected next February.