( CNN ) -- FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been cleared of any misconduct by an internal investigation into the bribery scandal that threatened to drag football 's world governing body into terminal crisis . But his predecessor , Brazilian Joao Havelange , has now resigned as FIFA 's honorary president for his part in the scandal . Havelange and former executive committee members Ricardo Teixeira and Dr. Nicolas Leoz were all found to have accepted illegal payments from FIFA 's former marketing partner International Sports and Leisure ( ISL ) . The payments were made between 1992 and May 2000 -- ISL went bankrupt the following year . FIFA 's Ethics Committee -- set up by Blatter after the corruption scandal was investigated by the Swiss authorities last year -- said it would not take any further action , adding the case was now closed . The findings of the committee have been published in detail , following Blatter 's re-election promise in 2011 to make FIFA 's workings more transparent . Blatter , who took over the presidency of FIFA from Havelange in 1998 , welcomed the report , saying in a statement : `` I have taken note of the report from the chairman of the FIFA Ethics Committee , Hans-Joachim Eckert , regarding the examination of the ISL case . `` I note in particular that , in his conclusions , chairman Eckert states that 'the ISL case is concluded for the Ethics Committee ' and that 'no further proceedings related to the ISL matter are warranted against any other football official . ' `` I also note with satisfaction that this report confirms that 'President Blatter 's conduct could not be classified in any way as misconduct with regard to any ethics rules . ' `` I have no doubt that FIFA , thanks to the governance reform process that I proposed , now has the mechanisms and means to ensure that such an issue -- which has caused untold damage to the reputation of our institution -- does not happen again . '' Havelange , who turns 97 next month , was one of the most recognizable figures in sports administration , serving as FIFA president for 24 years from 1974 and doing much to make football a truly global game . Prior to FIFA , he served as president of the Brazilian Sports Confederation from 1958 to 1973 and was also on the International Olympic Committee , until his resignation -- because of his links with the FIFA scandal -- in 2011 . A report by a Swiss court last year found that Havelange had received at least 1.5 million Swiss francs ( $ 1.53 million ) and Teixeira was paid at least CHF 12.4 million ( $ 12.64 million ) from ISL , who then owned the TV rights to the World Cup . `` The acceptance of bribe money by Havelange , Teixeira and Leoz was not punishable under Swiss criminal law at that time , '' explained Eckert in his report into the FIFA-ISL case . `` I agree with that determination . However , it is clear that Havelange and Teixeira , as football officials , should not have accepted any bribe money , and should have had to pay it back since the money was in connection with the exploitation of media rights . `` This does not change anything with regard to the morally and ethically reproachable conduct of both persons . `` I note that Mr. Havelange resigned from his position as Honorary President effective from April 18 2013 and that Dr. Nicolas Leoz resigned from his positions as a FIFA Executive Committee member , as a FIFA standing committee member and as CONMEBOL ( the governing body for South American football ) President effective from April 24 2013 . Hence , any further steps or suggestions are superfluous . `` No further proceedings related to the ISL matter are warranted against any other football official . '' Teixeira -- Havelange 's former son-in-law -- had already stood down from FIFA last year , shortly after resigning as president of the Brazilian Football Confederation . Blatter claimed in 2012 that he did know about alleged bribe payments made to former FIFA executives , but insisted he did n't think they were illegal . At that time Blatter was working as FIFA 's secretary general . The report by FIFA 's Ethics Committee again cleared the 77-year-old of any direct culpability but still raised question marks over his behavior . `` It must be questioned , however , whether President Blatter knew or should have known over the years before the bankruptcy of ISL that ISL had made payments ( bribes ) to other FIFA officials , '' the report stated . `` President Blatter stated during his interview with Mr Garcia that he 'could n't understand that somebody is sending money to FIFA for another person , ' but at that time he did not suspect the payment was a commission ( bribe ) . `` President Blatter 's conduct could not be classified in any way as misconduct with regard to any ethics rules . The conduct of President Blatter may have been clumsy . '' The report from the Ethics Committee , which was established on guidance from the Swiss court and is led by U.S. attorney Michael Garcia , effectively draws a line under the scandal that first emerged at the end of 2010 .
FIFA president Sepp Dietrich is cleared of misconduct by internal investigation into bribery . Predecessor Joao Havelange resigns as honorary president of soccer 's ruling body . FIFA took payments from FIFA 's former marketing partner ISL between 1992 and 1994 . FIFA 's Ethics Committee says no further action is planned .