RIO DE JANEIRO: The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said it backed a corruption probe into world body FIFA following the arrest of seven top officials Wednesday, including the man who led the CBF until last month.

Two FIFA vice-presidents were among those detained in a dawn raid in Zurich, where FIFA president Sepp Blatter is expected to be re-elected Friday, and former CBF head Jose Maria Marin was also arrested.

“Given the serious events of this morning in Zurich involving leaders and businessmen linked to football, the CBF declares publicly it fully supports each and any investigation,” the Brazilian body said in a statement.

“The organisation will await in a responsible manner its conclusion without prejudice,” the CBF said, as its hierarchy met at its Rio de Janeiro headquarters.

“The new management team at CBF, which started work on April 16, 2015, reaffirms its commitment to truth and transparency,” the body added.

Marco Polo del Nero, who replaced Marin as CBF president last month, said the widening scandal looked “very bad” for FIFA, after US officials revealed an indictment alleging that 14 senior soccer officials and marketing executives had engaged in a $151 million 24-year bribery scheme.

“Logically, this is not good, it is very bad,” del Nero said at his Zurich hotel. “But first we have to find out what happened, we have to analyze everything,” he told a throng of reporters.

Marin, a former politician, led the CBF through last year’s hosting of the World Cup.

Former Brazil star turned senator Romario, a vociferous critic of Marin, said: “Many of those who are corrupt and thieves who harm football have been detained.”

Speaking to the senate’s education, culture and sports commission, he added: “Sadly, it was not our police who captured him. A thief has to go to jail. I congratulate the FBI and particularly the Swiss police for their actions.”

Romario said he hoped the latest developments would stymie Blatter’s hopes of re-election.

“I hope this will change something as there is the hope, at least for me, that Blatter may also be detained. I hope we can employ people worthy of their place as (football) leaders,” Romario said.

Marin remains a CBF vice-president and is a current member of the FIFA organising committee for next year’s Rio Olympics.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2015

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