28 Oct 2011

Call to bar corrupt officials from 2014 World Cup

12:32 pm on 28 October 2011

A British investigative journalist who has accused FIFA of massive corruption has told Brazil's Senate that the country should freeze corrupt officials from football's governing body out of preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

Andrew Jennings, who has been investigating FIFA for a decade, said the involvement of its top brass in the next World Cup after allegations they had taken millions of dollars in bribes would be a stain on the football celebration.

He said Brazil should take responsibility for the preparations away from senior FIFA officials, including Ricardo Teixeira, the head of Brazil's football confederation and the nation's front man for World Cup preparations.

Jennings, who was invited to address the Brazilian Senate, says Teixeira may have amassed more than $10 million in bribes from FIFA's now-defunct marketing firm ISL.

And he's suggested FIFA's president Sepp Blatter and others should be refused entry visas to Brazil.