Teixeira quits Brazilian football

Soccer:Ricardo Teixeira today stood down as head of the Brazilian Football Federation and the 2014 World Cup organising committee on health grounds.

Teixiera, 64, had been in charge of Brazilian football for 23 years but recently came under pressure to resign over allegations of corruption.

He announced over the weekend he would be taking a leave of absence due to his health and today confirmed his departure was permanent.

A statement read: “I leave the presidency of the CBF (national federation) permanently with the sense of mission accomplished.

“It’s not easy to preside passion. Football in our country is associated with two things: talent and disorganisation.

“When we win, talent is praised. When we lose, it’s about disorganisation. I did what was within my reach, sacrificing my health. I was criticised in the losses and undervalued in the victories.”

Teixiera, a son-in-law of former Fifa boss Joao Havelange, will be succeeded by Jose Maria Marin, 79, a former politician who is little known outside the closed world of the CBF.

Teixeira has run the CBF since 1989 and turned it into a vastly profitable commercial enterprise. Brazil had not won the World Cup for 19 years when he took over but have since lifted it twice, in 1994 and 2002.

However, despite the successes on and off the field, Teixeira's tenure has frequently been overshadowed by allegations of corruption and shady business dealings.

In 2001, a Congressional investigation accused him of 13 crimes ranging from tax evasion to money laundering to misleading lawmakers, although no charges were ever brought.

Last year, the former head of the English Football Association David Triesman said Teixeira offered to back England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup in return for favours.

In February, the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper said a company linked to Teixeira overcharged the organisers of a November 2008 friendly match between Brazil and Portugal. Teixeira has denied wrongdoing in all cases.

Teixeira's resignation means that Marin and two former footballers, Ronaldo and Bebeto, are now charged with organising one of sport's biggest events.

Ronaldo and Bebeto, both World Cup winners, were appointed to the committee in recent months despite having little experience in the field.

The tournament has been beset by delays and questions ever since Brazil won the right to host it in October 2007. Although most of the 12 stadiums are on schedule, several are over budget and being built with taxpayer money.

More worrying is the state of transportation

infrastructure, especially airports. Brazil's antiquated airports are not capable of handling the expected influx of 600,000 fans and authorities have been slow to build new airports and expand the existing ones.