RICARDO TEIXEIRA, THE long-time president of the Brazil’s national football confederation (CBF) and confidente of former Fifa president João Havelange, has announced his retirement from football governance.
The 64-year-old endured a turbulent conclusion to his 22-year reign following the launch of several high-profile corruption investigations.
The most pressing of Teixeira’s legal difficulties involves the likely publication of a settlement between Fifa and marketing firm ISL, alleged to have been coerced into paying millions of dollars in bribes to a number of the institution’s most influential figures.
From a report by the Guardian’s David Conn:
“Most immediately in Zurich is the likely publication of a settlement made in court in the Swiss canton of Zug, in connection with alleged bribes paid to senior Fifa officials in the late 1990s by the marketing company ISL. The BBC’s Panorama broadcast allegations that Teixeira was paid $9.5m (£6.1m), along with Havelange. Fifa says it does want the settlement to be published but some parties named in it have applied for it to remain confidential. The International Olympic Committee, of which Havelange was a member, began an ethics investigation into him and he resigned before it reached its conclusion. Both men have denied wrongdoing.”
Teixeira has also resigned from his post on the committee responsible for the 2014 World Cup. Beset by a number of delays and public embarrassments, preparations for the event have served to further alienate the Brazilian from his erstwhile allies at Fifa.
Only last week, Fifa general secretary Jérôme Valcke was reported to have suggested the Brazilian government needed “a kick in the ass” to help it meet the planning schedule.
While a statement from Teixeira declared the former CBF president proud to have “done his duty”, former Brazilian international striker Romario was less enthusiastic about his compatriot’s legacy:
“Today we can celebrate. We exterminated a cancer from Brazilian football.”
