João Havelange: Fifa president who turned soccer into gold
1916-2016
JOÃO Havelange, who has died aged 100, was president of Fifa, the governing body of world football, from 1974 to 1998; in that time he oversaw the transformation of the planet’s favourite pastime into one of the wealthiest industries in the world.
Even his detractors — of which Havelange came to have many — admitted that he successfully modernised the administration of a sport that was nearly moribund when he ousted his predecessor, the English former referee Sir Stanley Rous. The game was then being run from a small villa in Zurich, Switzerland, by a staff of a dozen who were content for the World Cup to remain a largely European affair.
Havelange’s coup was mounted with the backing of Fifa’s African, Asian and North American delegates, a deal that led to the doubling of World Cup finalists from 16 in 1974 to 32 by 2002. This made the game more global — as did many of Havelange’s other initiatives, including his championing of women’s and youth competitions and of funding for development of the game in the world’s poorer regions.
His principal contribution to football, however, was to realise its potential for commercial exploitation. Since all in football seemed to benefit from this, it was not until after his retirement that the secretive and allegedly corrupt manner in which Havelange operated came to be questioned.
Many allegations were made by journalist David Yallop in his book How They Stole the Game (1999), and by investigative reporter Andrew Jennings in FOUL! The Secret World of Fifa: Bribes, Vote-Rigging and Ticket Scandals (2006).
Among Yallop’s claims was that Havelange had plundered some $6.6-million of the Brazilian FA’s funds to finance bribes to buy the votes of national associations.
Jean-Marie Faustin Godefroid de Havelange was born into comfortable circumstances in Rio de Janeiro on May 8 1916, the son of a Belgian mining engineer who had emigrated to Brazil in search of work.
Havelange was noted for his ability to charm. But when obstructed he could be vindictive. For example, Pelé — Brazil’s sports minister — was banned from the 1998 World Cup draw after the soccer legend tried to clean up football administration in Brazil.
In 2011 the International Olympic Committee announced it would investigate claims Havelange had received a $1-million bribe. The Brazilian resigned, citing ill health, and the investigation was closed.
In 1946 Havelange married Anna Maria Hermanny, with whom he had a daughter. —©