João Havelange Passes On

The former FIFA president died yesterday at the age of 100 after suffering from respiratory problems.

The death has been announced of the former Fifa president, João Jean-Marie Faustin Godefroid popular known as "João" de Havelange. He was a Brazilian of Portuguese origin. He was lawyer, businessman, and former athlete who served as the 7th President of FIFA, from 1974 to 1998. His tenure as President is the second longest in FIFA's history, behind only that of Jules Rimet. He received the title of Honorary President when leaving office, but resigned in April 2013. João Havelange served as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1963 to 2011.

He was the longest-serving active member upon his resignation. In July 2012 a Swiss prosecutor's report revealed that, during his tenure on FIFA's Executive Committee, he and his son-in-law Ricardo Teixeira took more than $41 million in bribes in connection with the award of World Cup marketing rights FIFA, under the presidency of Sepp Blatter, was found to have known about the bribes, yet argued it did not need to have the money repaid. In March and April 2012 Havelange was hospitalized for a seriously infected right ankle in Rio de Janeiro, which necessitated a period in intensive care.

In April 2013 he resigned from his position as FIFA's Honorary President for "health and personal reasons". Havelange was again admitted to hospital in June 2014, for a lung infection, and in November 2015 with respiratory problems. Havelange died on 16 August 2016 at the age of 100.