Former FIFA president Joao Havelange has resigned from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), just days before the Brazilian member faced suspension from the Olympic body in a decade-old kickback scandal stemming from his days as the head of world soccer.
The 95-year-old Havelange — the IOC’s longest-serving member with 48 years of service — submitted his resignation in a letter on Thursday night, according to a person familiar with the case.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Havelange’s decision has been kept confidential.
The move came a few days before the IOC’s ethics commission was scheduled to recommend heavy sanctions against Havelange in the case involving FIFA’s former marketing agency, ISL.
Havelange, an IOC member since 1963, has been under investigation by the ethics commission for allegedly receiving a US$1 million payment from ISL. Two other IOC members, International Association of Athletics Federations president Lamine Diack and African soccer official Issa Hayatou, are also under investigation, but face much lesser penalties.
A two-year suspension, or even a possible expulsion, for Havelange was expected to be considered at Thursday’s IOC executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. With his resignation, the ethics case against him is expected to be dropped.
Havelange, a former Olympic swimmer and water polo player, served as FIFA president for 24 years before being succeeded by Sepp Blatter in 1998. He remains honorary president of FIFA.
The ethics case stems from a BBC documentary last year into kickbacks allegedly paid by ISL, which owned the World Cup television rights and collapsed with debts of US$300 million in 2001.
Citing Swiss court documents, the BBC’s Panorama program alleged that Havelange took a US$1 million payment from ISL. Hayatou and Diack, who were not IOC members at the time of the scandal, were also identified as receiving money.
The ISL case was the subject of a Swiss criminal trial in 2008. FIFA has blocked the court in Zug from revealing which officials repaid US$6.1 million in kickbacks. The officials repaid the money on condition that their identities remained anonymous.
Ricardo Teixeira, Havelange’s former son-in-law and head of Brazil’s 2014 World Cup organizing committee, was also identified by the BBC as having received payments. Teixeira is not an IOC member. Brazilian federal authorities are seeking the Swiss documents to investigate possible money laundering.
Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reported on Saturday that Havelange was “expected” to resign from the IOC before the ethics commission ruling.
Blatter, who is also an IOC member, said in October that FIFA’s executive committee would “reopen” the ISL dossier at a Dec. 16 meeting in Tokyo as part of a promised drive toward transparency and zero tolerance of corruption.
Hayatou and Diack face likely warnings or reprimands — not formal suspensions — from the IOC for conflict of interest violations in the ISL affair.
Hayatou, an IOC member since 2001 and Africa’s top soccer official, reportedly received about US$20,000 from ISL in 1995. He has denied any corruption and said the money was a gift for his confederation.
Diack said he received money after his house in Senegal burned down in 1993. Diack, who was not an IOC member at the time, has said he did nothing wrong and is confident of being cleared.
The ethics commission will make recommendations to the executive board, which will impose any sanctions.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely