The head of Brazil’s football federation- Brazilian Confederation Football (CBF)-Ricardo Teixeira, has stepped down from his post, days after taking sick leave.
He also resigned from the 2014 World Cup organising committee.
Mr Teixeira, who led the federation for 23 years, had come under pressure over corruption allegations, which he has denied.
He has been investigated on suspicion of crimes including tax evasion but has never been convicted of any offence.
Mr. Teixeira has a long list of accusations against him.
In 1994, after winning the World Cup in the USA, the Brazilian Team returned home in a private flight. On arrival in Brazil, Teixeira refused to abide by the rules of Brazilian Customs, on the grounds that “a title of the Brazilian Team is worthy much more than the custom taxes”; later on, it was discovered that many players had brought boxes of undeclared stuff (particularly computers and electronic appliances, which were expensive in Brazil at the time), and that Mr. Teixeira himself had packed a full beer making machine, that he used in a bar he opened a few months later – after a long dispute with Brazilian IRS, Teixeira paid the due taxes and fines.
In 2000, Teixeira faced a Probing Commission in Brazilian Congress. He was charged of taking illegal advantage of contracts with Nike: the Brazil Team would satisfy Nike’s interests, and Teixeira would rake the financial gains. Again, Teixeira had to pay taxes on the basis of non-declared revenues.
In November 2010 he was alleged by the BBC to have taken bribes in the 1990s regarding the awarding of World Cup television rights.
Teixeira waited until 25th July 2011 to respond to the allegations, at which point he attacked on the English Football Association, saying he would “make their lives hell” as long as he remained a member of FIFA’s ruling Executive Committee.