His contributions to the fight against match manipulation to be recognized by President Jeffrey Webb

MIAMI– The The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced today (Wed April 17) that Guatemalan forward Carlos Ruiz will be the recipient of the first-ever CONCACAF President’s Award.

Ruiz is being honored for his bravery in bringing attention to match manipulation in his native country.  The presentation will take place during a ceremony on Thursday, April 18, at Palacio Bolivar in the Cancillería General de la República in Panama City, Panama.

“The success of football within our region is constantly being shaped by individual actions of players, coaches, administrators and executives,” said CONCACAF President, Jeffrey Webb.  “We want to recognize Carlos for his incredible courage to stand up for the integrity of our game and denounce match manipulation activities.  His long legacy to football has now a deep footprint both inside and outside the pitch.”

Mr. Ruiz’s courage and integrity led him to denounce match fixing within the Guatemalan national team. His actions led to a full-scale investigation, as well as unprecedented measures taken in the fight against match fixing in the region.

In line with CONACAF’s commitment to combatting match manipulation, the confederation takes pride in honoring Mr. Ruiz and his exceptional leadership.

Carlos Ruiz Biography

Nicknamed “El Pescadito” or “Little Fish,” Carlos Ruiz represented Guatemala 104 times and scored a team-record 55 goals during a 15-year international career.  He currently plays for D.C. United in the USA’s Major League Soccer.

Ruiz has appeared in four CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying campaigns, amassing a remarkable 30 goals in 37 games.  He has also competed in five CONCACAF Gold Cups and is one of the tournament’s all-time leading scorers with six goals.

A product of local side Municipal, where he won two Guatemalan titles, Ruiz’s career has taken him to compete for clubs on three different continents in countries such as Greece, Mexico, Paraguay and the United States.

He retired from international football in October 2012, after scoring his final goal in a World Cup qualifier against the United States.

ABOUT CONCACAF

CONCACAF “The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football” is one of six continental confederations of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and serves as the governing body of football in this part of the world. It is composed of 40 national associations, from Canada in the north to Guyana, Surinam and French Guyana in the south.