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Brazilian senator and former star player Romario said on Tuesday the inquiry he's leading into the national football confederation will question former President Jose Maria Marin, who is in detention in Switzerland, as well as a prominent Brazilian businessman in the United States. Romario is head of the Senate committee that was installed last month to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Brazilian football officials. He said Marin will be questioned in Switzerland, where he was arrested when the FIFA corruption scandal broke in May and is awaiting an extradition ruling. Romario said senators will also go to the United States to question Brazilian businessman Jose Hawilla, owner and founder of the Brazilian company Traffic Group. Hawilla pleaded guilty last December to numerous charges in connection with the U.S.-led probe into FIFA corruption. "My requests have been approved," Romario said. "We will hear Marin in Switzerland, where he is in prison, and Hawilla in the United States, where he is under house arrest." It wasn't clear whether the committee had already negotiated access to the two men with authorities in Switzerland or the United States. Marin, who became a confederation vice president after his term as president ended earlier this year, was among seven officials detained in Switzerland after the investigation by U.S. authorities. Romario had said the committee planned to fully investigate Marin and current confederation president Marco Polo Del Nero, as well as Marin's predecessor, Ricardo Teixeira, as part of its probe. There have been widespread calls for Del Nero's resignation, but he maintains he has done nothing wrong and will remain in charge of Brazilian football. Teixeira is under investigation in Brazil for corruption related to bank transfers during preparations for the 2014 World Cup. The committee will also question the presidents of the state federations in Brazil, Romario added. "To start our work, it's important to invite the 27 federation presidents," he said. "There is only one goal, which is to clean up our football. These people are part of our football. We have some presidents who have been in power for more than 20 years." Romario said local authorities are fully supporting the congressional probe and have already requested documents from the U.S. Justice Department to help in his investigation. A prolific striker during his playing career, Romario led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States. He has long been an outspoken critic of the Brazilian confederation.
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