ZURICH: Brazilian football chief Marco Polo del Nero was banned for 90 days by FIFA on Friday while he is investigated over possible unethical conduct, the global body said in a statement.

Del Nero, a former member of FIFA’s executive committee, was among 42 football officials and sports marketing executives indicted in the United States in 2015 in a corruption scandal that sparked the biggest crisis in FIFA’s history.

Brazil does not allow the extradition of its own citizens and Del Nero had remained as president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) until Friday’s decision.

Del Nero, 76, has always protested his innocence and told the Brazilian Senate two years ago that he was “unjustly accused” while the CBF could not immediately be contacted for comment on Friday.

He fled Zurich in May 2015 when FIFA colleagues were arrested by Swiss police, quit the executive committee of football’s governing body after missing meetings and was then indicted in the United States in December 2015.

He has faced numerous calls, including from Brazilian greats Pele and Zico, to step down.

His two immediate predecessors, Jose Maria Marin and Ricardo Teixeira, were also among those indicted in the United States.

Marin is currently standing trial in the US alongside former South American Football Confederation president Juan Napout and former Peruvian football boss Manuel Burga.

The three have pleaded not guilty to allegations they were involved in a conspiracy to take bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for lucrative marketing rights to football tournaments, including the Copa America and Copa Libertadores.

Teixeira, who has denied wrongdoing, has remained in Brazil.

FIFA did not give any details on Friday of the alleged offences involving Del Nero, saying only that he was “banned from all football activities at both national and international level” following a request from its chief ethics investigator.

FIFA said the ban could be extended for an additional 45 days to allow investigations to continue.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2017