Del Nero replaces Teixeira in FIFA role
Reuters - Friday 23 March 2012, 15:40
The president of Brazil's
biggest and most influential state football organization will
replace Ricardo Teixeira as Brazil's representative on FIFA's
executive committee, South America's football confederation has
announced.
Marco Polo del Nero, head of the Sao Paulo football
federation, becomes the third South American on the committee,
alongside Nicolas Leoz, president of regional confederation
CONMEBOL, and Julio Grondona, head of the Argentine Football
Association.
Del Nero replaces Teixeira, who resigned from the 24-person
executive committee earlier this week. Teixeira also stood down
as head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) after 23
years, citing health problems.
However, Teixeira's departure followed a growing chorus of
corruption allegations against him and harsh criticism over the
slow pace of Brazil's preparations for hosting the 2014 World
Cup.
Teixeira was replaced as head of the CBF by Jose Maria
Marin, 79, who is also from Sao Paulo and considered a friend
and ally of del Nero.
A lawyer who specialises in criminal law, del Nero, 71,
began his career in football as an administrator at Sao Paulo
club Palmeiras. He took over as head of the Paulista Football
Federation in 2003 and became a member of CONMEBOL four years
later.
Del Nero led the Brazilian delegation to the 2006 World Cup
in Germany but some critics said his poor planning in the run-up
to the tournament was partly responsible for Brazil's
disappointingly early exit at the quarter-final stage.
He is expected to attend his first executive committee
meetings at world governing body FIFA next Thursday and Friday.