Joao Havelange, who passed away yesterday at 100, turned FIFA into a global business behemoth and helped bring the Olympics to Rio, only to resign in disgrace after a corruption scandal
Joao Havelange
Rio de Janeiro: Joao Havelange, who passed away yesterday at 100, turned FIFA into a global business behemoth and helped bring the Olympics to Rio, only to resign in disgrace after a corruption scandal.
Joao Havelange
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The Samaritano Hospital in Rio confirmed that Havelange, who had been treated there in July for pneumonia, died in the morning.
Plaudits for the footballing boss came from his successor Sepp Blatter, who was suspended last year as head of FIFA over ethics violations.
"He had one idea in his head, to make football a global game with his slogan 'football is the universal language,' and he succeeded," Blatter said. "It's his development of football that made our sport the uncontested leader in society on the social, cultural and economic levels — and let's not forget its political influence," Blatter said.
Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said that flags would be flown at half mast at Rio Olympic venues. Brazilian interim president Michel Temer called Havelange one of the "important leaders" of world sport.
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