April 27 – Former Brazilian FA (CBF) president Marco Polo Del Nero, already suspended by FIFA’s Ethics committee last December, has had that suspension turned into a life ban from all football-related activities at both national and international level.
The decision was made by adjudicatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee following an investigation that was opened on 23 November 2015 and, said a FIFA press release, “referred, inter alia, to schemes in which he received bribes in exchange for his role in awarding contracts to companies for the media and marketing rights to various football tournaments, including the CONMEBOL Copa América, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores and the CBF Copa do Brasil.”
Del Nero was found guilty of having broken four of FIFA’s articles in its Code of Ethics covering: Bribery and corruption; Offering and accepting gifts and other benefits; Conflicts of interest; Loyalty; and General rules of conduct.
Del Nero was also fined CHF 1 million ($1.009 million).
In Zurich at the time of the original May 2015 spate of arrests, Del Nero fled back to Brazil, which has no extradition treaty with the US. He was later indicted himself and has remained in Brazil ever since, maintaining his innocence despite the charges against him for racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering. The US are still seeking his extradition.
Del Nero’s name had come up constantly in the trial of his predecessor Jose Maria Marin in New York before Christmas. Even trial judge Pamela Chen made passing comment on how del Nero could still be running Brazilian football suggesting he must have “friends in high places”.
He had been a member of FIFA’s executive committee.
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