Ex-FIFA President Took USD 1.5 Million In Bribes: Swiss Court

Former FIFA president Joao Havelange and fellow Brazilian sports chief Ricardo Teixeira accepted millions of dollars in bribes from a collapsed marketing company, according to a Swiss court.

Documents released by a Swiss court on Wednesday revealed that Havelange, received at least 1.5m Swiss francs (USD 1.53m) whilst his onetime son-in-law, Teixeira, was paid at least 12.4m (USD 12.64).

Detailed information regarding the bribes were given in a judgment by Switzerland’s Supreme Court, and also published on the official FIFA website.

The bribes were paid by International Sport and Leisure (ISL), which was formerly an official marketing partner for FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The blow from ISL’s collapse as it went bankrupt with debts of around an estimated USD 300m in 2001 has had strong repercussions in the world of sport.

The 96-year-old Havelange who resigned from his post as the head of football’s world governing body in 1998 after a 24-year-long career, is however, still an honorary FIFA president.

Citing ill health, he resigned as a member of the IOC last December. Yet the resignation came just a few days before he was due to be sanctioned after a probe by IOC’s ethics committee into illegal payments by ISL to leading officials.

The former Brazilian soccer leader, Teixeira, was forced to leave his position on FIFA’s executive committee and step down as head of Brazil’s 2014 World Cup organizing committee earlier during the year once it became clear the report of the bribery scandal would be published.

Both men had tried to block the publication of the report in Swiss courts.

As a result of the scandal, FIFA was also accused by the court of having a “deficient organization” and became the subject of investigation for “disloyal management.”

Presstv