Costa Rica opens probe into arrested FIFA official Eduardo Li

By Enrique Pretel SAN JOSE (Reuters) - Costa Rican prosecutors have opened an investigation into the president of the country's soccer federation who was among seven FIFA executives arrested in Switzerland on Wednesday on corruption charges brought by prosecutors in the United States. The news caused concern in the Central American country, where federation chief Eduardo Li was named 2014 person of the year by newspaper La Nacion for his role in the national team's unexpected run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Brazil. Nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives were indicted on corruption, bribery and money laundering charges, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Seven people, including Li, were arrested at a Zurich hotel two days before the FIFA Congress. "The investigation opened today aims to determine whether the hypothesis of the U.S. Department of Justice probe related to a case of money laundering and corruption involving Eduardo Li...can be corroborated," Costa Rica's public prosecutor's office said. It said the office was in contact with U.S. law enforcement. "Independently of the veracity of these facts, this is news that affects the image of Costa Rican football, and football in general," Julian Solano, the president of the country's first division soccer clubs association, Unafut, told reporters. Rafael Fello, Secretary General of Costa Rica's soccer federation, told newspaper La Nacion that the organization was trying to arrange legal advice for Li in Switzerland. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis told reporters he was surprised by the news of the 56-year-old Li's arrest. "I hope the name of Costa Rica is not affected," he said. (Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Grant McCool)