Marco Polo del Nero Replaces Teixeira on FIFA’s Committee

Marco Polo del Nero has replaced Brazil’s Ricardo Teixeira, on FIFA’s executive committee.

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, named Del Nero on Thursday. He is president of the Sao Paulo state soccer federation.

Teixeira resigned last week from his seat on world soccer governing body for what he said were “personal reasons.” He also quit under pressure from the presidency of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

He is reported to be implicated in a scandal involving million-dollar kickbacks from World Cup broadcasting deals in the 1990s.

The other South American members on FIFA’s 24-member executive committee are Julio Grondona of Argentina and Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay.

The governing body responded to FIFA’s request on Tuesday to move quickly.

“The choice was unanimous,” CONMEBOL spokesman Nestor Benitez told The Associated Press.

Teixeira had two years left on the elected post he held since 1994, representing the 10 South American soccer nations at FIFA. Jose Maria Marin replaced him as president of the Brazilian Football Confederation.

In addition to Teixeira’s sudden departure, FIFA’s executive committee also has one interim member and a vacant seat.

Asia chose Chinese official Zhang Jilong in place of its confederation president Mohamed bin Hammam, who was banned for life by FIFA in an election bribery scandal last year.

FIFA is also without a Caribbean delegate, as CONCACAF has yet to replace disgraced former president Jack Warner, who resigned all of his duties last June to avoid investigation regarding the alleged Bin Hammam bribery scandal.