Amidst allegations of corruption and last week's arrests of officials connected with soccer's international governing body, FIFA, former Chico State men's soccer player, assistant coach and Hall of Fame member Ted Howard has been installed acting general secretary of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).
 
CONCACAF announced the appointments of Howard and acting president Alfredo Hawit of Honduras one day after Jeffrey Webb, the organization's president, was among nine soccer officials arrested and indicted by U.S. authorities on charges of racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud.
 
Webb and Eduardo Li, the president of Costa Rican soccer's governing body, have been "provisionally dismissed" by CONCACAF. Li, who had been elected to fill one of CONCACAF's seats on FIFA's executive committee, also was indicted and arrested.
 
The corruption scandal focusing on FIFA took another huge turn Tuesday when president Sepp Blatter announced his resignation.
 
This marks the second time Howard has been named CONCACAF acting general secretary, as some of the organization's highest-ranking officials have been dogged by controversy in recent years.
 
Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago served as CONCACAF President from 1990 until 2011 when he was suspended by FIFA during a bribery investigation. Lisle Austin of Barbados became acting president but was suspended by CONCACAF's executive committee after he tried to fire Chuck Blazer, the confederation's American general secretary.
 
Howard served as acting general secretary between Blazer's resignation at the end of 2011 and the hiring of Colombian-born Enrique Sanz in July of 2012. CONCACAF has placed Sanz on a leave of absence, as an unidentified co-conspirator listed in last week's indictment fits the description of Sanz' work history.
 
Howard indicated Monday that CONCACAF is cooperating with the U.S. Justice Department while it investigates allegations of corruption within FIFA. "'(The Justice Department) told us in in their press conference the other day that they haven't finished their investigation yet," he told the Associated Press. "'Like everyone, all of us (are) disappointed and shocked that this could happen again after four years ago. We just know that we have to continue and move on."
 
Howard was a member of Chico State's first intercollegiate men's soccer team, playing from 1965 to 1967. He served as an assistant coach under Don Batie for three seasons and helped lead the Wildcats to two Western Regional Championships.
 
Howard was executive director of the North American Soccer League for 14 years and served as director and group manager of NBA Marketing from 1988 until joining CONCACAF 10 years later.
 
Howard was inducted in the Chico State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998.