Brazilian football federation president Marco Polo Del Nero will not make the trip to Switzerland for FIFA meetings in Zurich next week, a report in Brazil has revealed.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has convened board members back to Zurich, where several senior FIFA officials were arrested in a U.S. bribery investigation, to discuss his successor's election date and reforms to combat alleged corruption next week.
But Del Nero, who is a member of FIFA's executive committee, has said he has business to attend to in Brazil, where the government has launched its own investigation into his federation led by former World Cup winner Romario, who is now an outspoken federal senator.
"Such situations require my presence and participation," he said.
Del Nero was not indicted in the U.S. Department of Justice's corruption case, but has avoided making appearances in Zurich since former CBF head Jose Maria Marin was among those arrested in the city when the case broke two months ago.
Since the scandal there have been widespread calls for his resignation, but Del Nero maintains he has done nothing wrong and will remain in charge of Brazilian football.