Rio de Janeiro, 9 APR (EFE).-the expresident of FIFA Joao Havelange, detained since last March 18 at a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, today introduced a box of heart and respiratory failure and his State of health remains “grave”, medical sources reported today.
“After the visit, the clinical status of the Honorary President of FIFA is serious because during the morning the patient presented a picture of heart and respiratory failure and needed to return to the coronary unit” of the clinic, said in a statement the Samaritan Hospital, of Botafogo.
Havelange, of 95 years, entered hospital last March 18 because of a bacterial infection in an ankle.
“At this time, the patient needs a ventilation respiratory and cardiac support and take medications to control blood pressure and treatment with antibiotics through a vein, is still in progress,” said the statement signed by the cardiologist Joao Mansur Filho, head of unit Coronariana.
The Brazilian sports leader, according to their families, suffered before being interned a twist in the ankle, what could cause infection.
Havelange commanded world football for 24 years, from 1974 until 1998, and already he had been hospitalized in May 2010, also by an infection and in 2006 he was spoken for the implantation of a pacemaker.
Leader alleged health reasons to justify his resignation as Board member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) last December.
Of Belgian origin, Havelange began his career as sports leader in 1956, as President of the Brazilian Sports Confederation, post which he left in 1974 to take FIFA then that Brazil conquered three World Championship titles of football (Sweden 1958, 1962 Chile, Mexico 1970).
The Brazilian, so far the only non-European President of FIFA, was also a swimmer and Olympic water polo in his youth player.
