RIO DE JANEIRO -- Joao Havelange, who as president of FIFA for two decades transformed soccers governing body into a multibillion-dollar business and a hotbed for subsequent corruption that damaged its reputation, has died. He was 100.Havelange, who was suffering from a respiratory infection, died early Tuesday while Rio de Janeiro was hosting the Olympic Games, according to the Samaritano Hospital.In 2009, Havelange led off Rios bid presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen by inviting the members to vote to join me in celebrating my 100th birthday at the 2016 Games in Brazil.The Brazilian flag was lowered to half-staff at Olympic venues and the IOC said its thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Havelange.FIFA President Gianni Infantino lavished praise on Havelange, saying the whole football community should be grateful for his contribution.During his 24 years as FIFA president football became truly global, reaching new territories and bringing the game to all corners of the world, Infantino said.Havelange expanded the World Cup from 16 to 32 teams and made it one of sports most important events. He organized six World Cups as FIFA president from 1974 to 1998, when Sepp Blatter replaced him. He secured lucrative broadcast deals, brought nations into FIFA and created the womens World Cup.Blatter said Havelange will always be synonymous with the expansion of soccer and turning it into the universal language.Football thus owes him a huge debt of gratitude, Blatter said in a statement.Thanks to Joao Havelange, football is the worlds leading sport -- not only from a social, cultural and economic perspective, but also in terms of its political impact.But with more cash for football also came widespread financial wrongdoing by its top officials, including Havelange. In 2013, FIFA ethics court judge Joachim Eckert said Havelanges conduct had been morally and ethically reproachable.Havelange resigned in December 2011 as a member of the IOC just days before its leadership was expected to suspend him and rule on claims that he took a $1 million kickback.A 100-year-old man has died today and I think it would be entirely inappropriate to discuss that (wrongdoing), IOC spokesman Mark Adams said.Havelange was never punished by FIFA. He was allowed to resign his honorary presidency of FIFA in 2013.If someone had advised him to pay himself a salary, none of this would have come up, said Patrick Nally, a FIFA marketing consultant in the 1970s. What Havelange did for FIFA was extraordinary. He was not a bandit, he was a visionary.But three of FIFAs most notorious officials -- his former son-in-law Ricardo Teixeira, Chuck Blazer and Jack Warner -- joined FIFAs executive committee during Havelanges presidency. All three were subsequently swept up in corruption investigations by Swiss and U.S. authorities last year that also brought the end of Blatters 17-year presidency.Havelange was implicated with Teixeira in taking millions of dollars in kickbacks from World Cup broadcasting contracts. Both left FIFA between 2012 and 2013 to avoid sanctions from the soccer bodys ethics committee. Teixeira has been indicted by the U.S. Justice Department on corruption charges but has stayed out of reach of American investigators, remaining in Brazil, which typically does not extradite its citizens.Havelange was cited as a personal hero in soccer by Blazer, the most senior U.S. official at FIFA and his former executive committee colleague. Blazers testimony admitting widespread corruption charges was key to the sprawling U.S. investigation implicating FIFA. Blazer is seriously ill and awaiting sentencing.Warner, a longtime Havelange ally, also is indicted and is fighting extradition to the U.S. from his native Trinidad and Tobago.FIFA was a small organization with about a dozen employees when Havelange took over at its Zurich headquarters in 1974.I found an old house and US$20 in the kitty, Havelange told FIFAs website. On the day I departed 24 years later, I left property and contracts worth over US$4 billion. Not too bad, Id say.He was re-elected president six times, capitalizing on his contact-building across world football. FIFAs membership expanded by nearly one-third, to more than 200 nations and territories, under Havelange. China was readmitted in 1980 having left the organization in 1958.I clocked 26,000 hours in the air, the equivalent of spending three years in an airplane, Havelange said. The only country I never visited was Afghanistan, because they wouldnt let me in.The son of a Belgian father and a Brazilian mother, Havelange was a top-notch athlete before becoming a sports administrator. He swam for Brazil at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and played on its water polo team at the Helsinki Games in 1952.He headed the Brazilian football confederation for nearly two decades, when Brazils national team won its first three World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970.Havelange was the first non-European head of FIFA and its longest serving president, stepping down at age 82.In a 1999 survey by the IOC, Havelange was voted among the top three sports leaders of the 20th century, behind former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch and modern Olympics founder Pierre de Coubertin. He joined the IOC in 1963.Havelange had a heart pacemaker implanted in 2006. He was hospitalized for more than two months, including several weeks in intensive care, in 2012 because of an infection in his right ankle. He was back in hospital to July to undergo treatment for pneumonia.Rest in peace, Joao, Blatter said. Football -- your passion, my mission -- is in good shape. You should be proud.---AP Sports Writers Rob Harris in Rio de Janeiro and Graham Dunbar in Geneva contributed to this report. Kevin Huerter Hawks Jersey . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Trae Young Hawks Jersey . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. http://www.authenticbasketballshophawks.info/customized/ . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Spud Webb Hawks Jersey .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Dominique Wilkins Hawks Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. SEATTLE -- The Houston Astros continue to have the Seattle Mariners number, so much so that they might consider changing their area code to 206.Houston extended its winning streak over Seattle to five with a 7-3 win on Friday night. Since 2014, the Astros hold a 13-10 record at Safeco Field, which is quickly becoming their favorite road ballpark.George Springer and Jose Altuve have been particularly successful at Safeco, and the duo combined for two hits and three runs Friday.We didnt start the year like we wanted, and thats why people are surprised by how well were playing now, Altuve said. This is the team youre going to see every day. Were going to play hard.The Mariners (45-45) will try to end the skid against Houston during a rare Saturday afternoon game. It marks the first time this season that Seattle will play a home game on a Saturday afternoon.The Mariners plan on starting veteran Hisashi Iwakuma, who is currently the only right-hander in the Seattle rotation.Iwakuma will be flanked by left-handed starters James Paxton, Wade LeBlanc, Wade Miley and Mike Montgomery for one more trip through the rotation, but help could be on the way.Seattle ace Felix Hernandez made a successful rehab start at Triple-A Tacoma on Friday and could be close to returning to the rotation. Wednesdays game against the Chicago White Sox -- another afternoon tilt -- seems like the target date for Hernandezs return after hes spent the good part of eight weeks on the disabled list.ddddddddddddIm ready to go, Hernandez told reporters after his outing in Tacoma. ... Ill be back (on Wednesday), for sure.The Astros (49-41) send young right-hander Lance McCullers to the mound.McCullers has already beaten the Mariners once this season. He allowed just one run over seven innings in a 2-1 win over Seattle at Houston a few days before the All-Star Break.The Astros swept Seattle in a three-game series at Houston and have taken full control of second place in the American League West. The Mariners led the division for most of April and May but fell behind the Rangers in early June. Two weeks ago, Houston moved past Seattle and now holds a four-game lead over the Mariners. Texas leads the Astros by 4 1/2.Seattles Iwakuma has an 0-4 record and 7.50 ERA over his past five starts against the Astros. He is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA against Houston this season.Seattle is likely to play the game without shortstop Ketel Marte, who injured his ankle sliding into third base Friday night. Marte is listed as day-to-day, but Mariners manager Scott Servais said he would probably sit out Saturdays game while utility man Shawn OMalley got the start.Marte is hitting .273 this season and has settled in as the leadoff hitter since veteran outfielder Norichika Aoki got sent to the minors late last month. ' ' '
