体坛英语新闻：Mexican league offers to cooperate in money laundering probe

MEXICO CITY, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The president of Mexico's MX premier soccer league Monday offered to cooperate with authorities should they open an investigation into recent allegations that drug traffickers used the clubs to launder money, local media sources said.

MX chief Decio de Maria told reporters at a press conference: "The league is always open to cooperating with all the authorities in any kind of investigation."

Colombian broadcaster RCN recently reported that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had warned Colombian authorities that the nation's drug cartels had used Mexican soccer teams for money laundering purposes.

RCN said Colombian drug lords, former paramilitary leaders extradited to the U.S. and even a leader of the country's leftist insurgents were known to have "invested" in Mexican soccer teams from 2003 to 2006, according to records seized by Colombia's General Attorney's Office.

De Maria said the Mexican league follows a set of requirements that "shields" the teams against illegal money.

De Maria said that the Mexican Football Federation has intensified the protocols to accept new shareholders in the local teams in the last years.

"The 18 teams completely follow and fulfill the protocols," said De Maria.

He explained that the Mexican clubs should comply "an affiliation notebook and a set of protocols that we follow, we are alert of any irregular situations."