A year long legal battle by BBC Panorama to force publication of documents related to a confidential police investigation into bribery and corruption at FIFA was vindicated today with a ruling by the Swiss Federal Court that the BBC should be handed a copy.
The confidential court document, which has been released to Panorama, names former FIFA president, Brazil's Joao Havelange and Ricardo Texeira, until recently the President of Brazil’s football confederation and a leading member of FIFA’s Executive Committee, as the two officials forced to repay bribes as part of an out of court settlement in 2010.
Until today the identity of the two officials was protected by Swiss law.
In Panorama – FIFA’s Dirty Secrets in November 2010, reporter Andrew Jennings named the two officials as recipients of bribes from the Swiss ISL sports marketing company, which was repeatedly given lucrative World Cup marketing rights by FIFA.
Over nearly three decades bribes totalling $100 million were paid to leading sports officials, including those at FIFA.
Release of the confidential report was repeatedly blocked by FIFA, Mr Havelange and Mr Teixeira in the Swiss courts. Only when the case reached the Swiss Federal Court did FIFA drop its direct opposition to its release.
BBC Press Office
