Reports in Spain late on Thursday night said that Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon would resign his post on Friday.

The Spanish sporting press is unanimous in its certainty that Calderon will be forced out because of allegations of corruption.

Calderon's position has been seriously undermined over the past three days following revelations in sports daily newspaper Marca.

Marca accused Calderon of vote rigging during last December's General Assembly by packing the meeting with followers who were not entitled to vote in order to ensure the club's annual budget was approved.

He was also accused of busing in a group of the clubs "Ultra" supporters in order to intimidate opponents at the Assembly.

Calderon held an hour long press conference on Wednesday in which he denied any involvement in the affair, saying he did not know any people involved and sacked two club employees alleged to have organized the vote rigging.

However, Marca called his bluff and on Thursday morning, published a series of photos of those involved posing either with Calderon or members of his close family.

Calderon was elected club president at the start of July 2006. His two and a half seasons in charge have seen the club win the Primera Liga title for consecutive seasons for the first time in 20 years. Nevertheless, they have been marred by institutional uncertainty and now it looks as if his brief reign has come to an end.

Vice president Vicente Bolouda is expected to take over the presidency. He will be the fifth Real Madrid president in less than just three years. Meanwhile the club will probably hold elections to choose a new president at the end of the season.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2009)