SAO PAULO: Marco Polo del Nero has been elected unopposed as the new president of the Brazilian Football Confederation though he will not take up office until April next year.

The artifice over election and takeover was arranged initially by disgraced former CBF president Ricardo Teixeira to evade World Cup-linked problems which might arise before the due election later this year.

In the event Teixeira, under weight of scandal, fled to Miami in 2012 and the presidency was taken over by his 81-year-old deputy, Jose Maria Marin.

The latter had said earlier this year that he would not stand for re-election. That cleared the way for Del Nero who had succeeded Marin as president of Sao Paulo state federation.

Del Nero had also succeeded to Teixeira’s slot as a South American delegate on world federation FIFA’s executive committee.

In an address to the election congress, Del Nero described Marin’s leadership as “exemplary” and promised to a president of continuity.

The CBF also voted to name its new headquarters in Rio de Janeiro after Marin. The HQ will be inaugurated on June 4, eight days before the host nation kick off the World Cup against Croatia in Sao Paulo.

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