In return, the company gained exclusive Federation Internationale de Football Association television and marketing rights throughout the 1990s.
Advertisement
Teixeira went on to vote in the now infamous process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, with Blatter denying any knowledge of the bribes.
Blatter has always denied having any knowledge of any potential bribery, but now a BBC investigation has revealed a letter found by the FBI which was apparently written by Havelange, claiming that Blatter had “full knowledge of all activities” and was “always apprised” of goings on.
Blatter is planning to stand down as president of FIFA in February next year after 17 years at the head of football’s world governing body.
The FBI say: ‘Among other things the prosecutor is investigating Havelange’s statements implicating Blatter’.
In the letter from Havelange, seemingly written after a 2010 court case in Zug, Switzerland, related to the affair, he appears to claim that payments to him were above board. On Sunday, BBC reported that the FBI is investigating Blatter’s role in a $100 million bribes scandal. Fifa’s own ethics committee is investigating a disputed £1.3m payment by Blatter to European chief Michel Platini and is expected to rule later this month.
The embattled 79-year-old Swiss FIFA boss has previously said he would retire in 2016.
The US attorney general, Loretta Lynch, said last week she would continue to pursue wrongdoers as she unsealed an updated indictment that alleged more than $200m had been received in bribes and kickbacks.
It comes just days after the United States Department of Justice indicted 16 current and former football officials, including Fifa vice-presidents Alfredo Hawit and Juan Angel Napout, on allegations of corruption.
Former France captain Platini’s lawyer Thomas Clay called it “very important evidence that Mr Platini has always been telling the truth”.
Advertisement
The Panorama programme will also allege that Qatar spent £117m on its controversial bid for the 2022 World Cup, six times that England spent on its doomed attempt to land the 2018 tournament.
