Former FIFA president dies in Brazil

The former president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), João Havelange, died today (Aug. 16) aged 100 in Rio de Janeiro. He had been in a hospital in the southern part of Rio since July to treat a pneumonia.

A lawyer and businessman, João Havelange was one of the most influential people in the world of sports. As head of FIFA, Havelange was credited with a number of changes in soccer around the world.

Havelange was born on May 8, 1916, in Rio de Janeiro. His passion for sports emerged during his childhood and he became an athlete in his youth. At age 20, he competed in Brazil's swimming team in the Berlin 1936 Olympic Games. In 1952, he played water polo in the Olympic Games in Helsinki.

Four years later, he became president of the now-defunct Brazilian Sports Confederation (CBD), which brought together 24 sports including soccer. In his 18 years leading the organization, he saw Brazil win the 1958 (Sweden), 1962 (Chile) and 1970 (Mexico) World Soccer Cups.

In 1974, he was elected president of FIFA and became its first non-European leader. With subsequent reelections, he remained in the federation for 24 years, having organized six World Soccer Cups and visited more than 180 countries. In 1998, he stepped down from his position at FIFA and was recognized as president of honor. He was succeeded by Swiss economist Joseph Blatter.

In 2012, a long legal battle in Switzerland proved Havelange had “defrauded” FIFA. In 2013, he resigned as the organization's president of honor.

Translated by Mayra Borges