Brazil football chief requests leave after FIFA indictment

Rio de Janeiro: The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation asked Thursday to be placed on leave after US officials indicted him and 15 other top football officials on corruption charges linked to the widening scandal at FIFA.

"The Brazilian Football Confederation announces that, following today`s news, president Marco Polo Del Nero requested leave from his duties in order to dedicate himself to preparing his defense" in the US case and a separate FIFA ethics inquiry, the CBF said in a statement.

Del Nero, 74, had last week announced his resignation from FIFA`s executive committee. He is one of 16 top Latin American football bosses indicted Thursday in the sweeping US-led probe into allegations of massive corruption at FIFA, world football`s governing body.