KEIR RADNEDGE in ZURICH: Jose Maria Marin, former head of the Brazilian football federation and the 2014 World Cup local organising committee, will not appeal if Swiss authorities accede to an extradition request from the United States later this week.

Marin, 83, was one of seven senior FIFA-linked football officials arrested by Swiss police here in Zurich two days before the world federation’s congress in May.

Thus far all bar one have remained in detention in Switzerland while contesting transfer to the US to face conspiracy, fraud and money-laundering charges. The exception was Jeffrey Webb, former FIFA vice-president from the Cayman Islands, who is now under house arrest on bail in the US and has formally denied all charges.

Marin took over the CBF in March 2012 after previous president Ricardo Teixeira fled Brazil for the US under the weight of financial scandal allegations. Teixeira has since returned to Rio de Janeiro from which, as a Brazilian citizen, he cannot be extradited.

A Swiss court is due to rule this week on the extradition applications for the remaining six and sources close to Marin have indicated that, if the application is approved, he will not appeal.

The allegations against Marin include seeking bribes over commercial contracts leveraged through the United States and concerning the 2014 World Cup and Copa America.

Marin, if extradited, would hope to obtain his release on bail – like Webb – since he has an apartment in New York. This would be preferable to his detention in Switzerland since Marin speaks little English and no German and is allowed only three visits a week.

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