RIO DE JANEIRO: Protests across Brazil’s World Cup venues have erupted again demanding the permanent departure of Ricardo Teixeira as president of the Brazilian football confederation and transparency over its World Cup finances.

Teixeira, it has been confirmed already by the CBF, is to take 40 days away from his duties between December 19 and the end of January on health grounds which may involve consultations abroad.

Speculation has been rife that he may not return to power, bowing out of sports administration by use of the same health reasons given by his former father-in-law Joao Havelange for quitting the International Olympic Committee.

Havelange stepped out days before an IOC inquiry was due to report its findings over allegations that he had received illicit payments from now-bankrupt ISL, the former marketing partner of both FIFA and the IOC.

Teixeira himself, a member of the FIFA executive, had also apparently been named in ISL court documents which FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he wishes to reopen to the world.

Protests in Brazil were reported in Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Natal, Curitiba, Parana, Brasilia and Sao Paulo.