FIFA’s appeal committee has upheld a life ban on former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Marco Polo Del Nero for corruption, the sport’s global governing body said Monday.

The 78-year-old was guilty of accepting bribes and kickbacks as well as violating rules related to conflict of interest and general conduct, FIFA said in a statement.

The ruling comes just over a year after FIFA’s ethics committee barred Del Nero from all football-related activity and fined him 1 million Swiss francs (US$1 million).

Del Nero was suspended by FIFA in December 2017 after being charged by the U.S. authorities with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.

Investigators said the Brazilian participated in a scheme that awarded lucrative rights agreements for tournaments such as the Copa America, the Copa Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil.  (Xinhua)