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Tuesday 30 April 2013

João Havelange resigns as Fifa honorary president over 'bribes'

                                                


João Havelange, the Brazilian who ruled FIFA for more than two decades, has resigned as honorary president of the world governing body after being named in a report as having received bribes.
The long-awaited report by Fifa's ethics committee into the scandal involving collapsed marketing partners ISL has named Havelange and two former executive committee members, Ricardo Teixeira and Nicolás Leoz, as receiving bribes. All three have since resigned from Fifa.

The report by the Fifa adjudicatory chamber chairman Hans-Joachim Eckert also calls the current Fifa president Sepp-blatter's handling of the scandal "clumsy" but says it did not breach ethics rules


The report states: "Mr Havelange has long held solely an honorary position, which does not qualify him as an 'official' under the code of ethics. Further, Mr Havelange resigned his position as honorary president effective 18.04.2013."

Blatter immediately issued a statement welcoming the fact that he had been cleared of misconduct. He said: "I also note with satisfaction that this report confirms that 'president Blatter's conduct could not be classified in any way as misconduct with regard to any ethics rules'.

"I have no doubt that Fifa, thanks to the governance reform process that I proposed, now has the mechanisms and means to ensure that such an issue – which has caused untold damage to the reputation of our institution – does not happen again."

Eckert does, nevertheless, question Blatter's role in the scandal. He states: "It must be questioned, however, whether president Blatter knew or should have known over the years before the bankruptcy of ISL that ISL had made payments [bribes] to other Fifa officials.

"The report states that in 1997, Blatter authorised the transfer of 1.5m Swiss francs (£1m) to Havelange after ISL mistakenly sent it to Fifa. But Blatter, who was then general secretary of the organisation when Havelange was president, told the ethics investigation "at that time he did not suspect the payment was a commission".

"President Blatter's conduct could not be classified in any way as misconduct with regard to any ethics rules," says the report. "The conduct of president Blatter may have been clumsy because there could be an internal need for clarification, but this does not lead to any criminal or ethical misconduct."

The ethics report does not state the total sum of bribes paid but says they took place over eight years between 1992 and May 2000.

"From money that passed through the ISMM/ISL Group, it is certain that not inconsiderable amounts were channelled to former Fifa president Havelange and to his son-in-law Ricardo Teixeira as well as to Dr Nicolás Leoz, whereby there is no indication that any form of service was given in return by them.

"These payments were apparently made via front companies in order to cover up the true recipient and are to be qualified as 'commissions', known today as 'bribes'."
Court documents state Havelange, now aged 96, received at least £1m and Teixeira at least £8.4m, and in total the pair may have received up to £14.5m. Leoz, now aged 84, was named in court as having received at least £80,000.

Mba cleared for Rangers

                                  


Sunday Mba will make his Enugu Rangers debut in the CAF Champions League this weekend against Recreativo Libolo after he was cleared "in national interest".


This was confirmed by Rangers’ general manager Ozor Paul to mtnfootball, who said that Mba is going on the trip to Angola for this weekend’s game after an agreement was reached with his former club Warri Wolves because he is on "a national duty".

The midfielder has not played any League football this season as both clubs contested his ownership, with the player declaring his preference for the Enugu side.
But the NFF had ruled that the player was registered to Wolves, and directed both clubs to agree a transfer fee.

"He has been cleared to play for us in Angola in the Champions League this weekend," Ozor told media.

"And once we are back we will hope to finalise on his transfer," he added.
 


Friday 26 April 2013

Super Eagles goalie Ejide weds June 1, picks Odemwingie as best man

                                   

Super Eagles second choice goalkeeper, Austin Ejide is sparing nothing to ensure he quits bachelorhood in a grand style after finalising wedding plans to take his long-time girl to the altar.
A family source disclosed that the one time Gabros International and Etoile Du Sahel safe hand has acquired a Range Rover Sport and an infinity SUV both valued for N20 million ahead of the June 1 wedding slated to hold in Lagos just as he added that invitation cards have been distributed to invited guests.
“We just took delivery of some of Ejide’s cars, including a Range Rover Sport and an Infinity SUV which I think would be used by his wife. Invitation cards for the wedding have already been distributed to all the expected guests and we are looking forward to the D-day, June 1,’’he said.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old has picked West Bromwich Albion striker Osaze Odemwingie as his best man on his wedding day. Ejide, one of the invited 30 players for the May 31 friendly against the Mexican national team in Florida might not be available for the tie due to his upcoming wedding. The Eagles camp will open in Germany on May 16.The team will proceed to face Kenya in Nairobi in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier on June 5 and then travel to Windhoek to play Namibia on June 12.The Super Eagles will thereafter hit Brazil to represent Africa in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup that will kick off on June 17.
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