Story highlights FIFA president Sepp Blatter is cleared of misconduct by internal investigation into bribery

Predecessor Joao Havelange resigns as honorary president of soccer's ruling body

Havelange took payments from FIFA's former marketing partner ISL between 1992 and 2000

FIFA's Ethics Committee says no further action is planned

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.

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"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.

Photos: FIFA corruption timeline Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 14, 2010 – A turbulent period for FIFA began in May 2010. Whilst most of the world's soccer fans were more concerned with Africa's first World Cup finals that June, FIFA was presented with official bid documents by Australia, England, Netherlands/Belgium, Japan, South Korea, Qatar, Russia, Spain/Portugal and the United States for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. During the ceremony at its Swiss headquarters, FIFA announced dates for inspections of the bidding nations from July-September. Hide Caption 1 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 16, 2010 – British newspaper Mail On Sunday reveals that English bid leader David Triesman was secretly recorded making comments about alleged attempts by Spain and Russia to bribe referees at the imminent 2010 FIFA World Cup. Hide Caption 2 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline August 17, 2010 – Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets the visiting FIFA inspection team in Moscow. Qatar is the last country to receive the inspectors in September. Hide Caption 3 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline October 20, 2010 – FIFA provisionally suspends Amos Adamu, pictured, and Reynald Temarii three days after Britain's Sunday Times newspaper claimed they offered to sell their World Cup votes. Adamu, head of the West Africa Football Union, denies the charge that he asked for $800,000 to be paid to him directly so four artificial pitches could be built in his native Nigeria. "I am confident that my actions, the full and true extent of which were not detailed in the story published, will demonstrate not only my innocence and integrity, but also my commitment to football and to FIFA," the 57-year-old says in a statement. Hide Caption 4 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline October 20, 2010 – Temarii, a former Tahiti international player, is accused of asking for $2.4 million to build a youth academy for the Oceania Football Confederation, of which he has been head since 2004. Hide Caption 5 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline October 20, 2010 – "It is a sad day for football," FIFA president Sepp Blatter, pictured here meeting British Prime Minister David Cameron a week earlier, tells reporters in Zurich. Hide Caption 6 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline November 17, 2010 – FIFA releases its bid inspection reports, and it's bad news for Qatar. The tournament would be held in the middle of Qatar's summer where temperatures regularly hit 50 degrees Celsius. Despite a hi-tech pitch that included state-of-the-art cooling technology to keep players and fans safe, FIFA gave one part of the bid a "high" risk rating. In the report it stated that hosting the World Cup in June and July would be "considered as a potential health risk for players, officials, the FIFA family and spectators, and requires precautions to be taken". Hide Caption 7 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline November 18, 2010 – FIFA confirms the suspension of executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii, along with four additional officials. Ahead of the December 2 ballot to decide the host of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, Adamu receives a three-year ban and $11,947 fine and Temarii a 12-month ban and a $5,973 fine. However, the organization rules that there is no evidence to support allegations of collusion between rival bid teams. Adamu plans to appeal. Hide Caption 8 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline November 29, 2010 – Issa Hayatou from Cameroon is one of three FIFA officials -- the others Nicolas Leoz from Paraguay and Ricardo Teixeira from Brazil -- who are named in a BBC program which alleges they took bribes from the ISL marketing company who secured World Cup rights in the 1990s. All three had votes voting in the December 2 decisions on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Hide Caption 9 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline November 30, 2010 – The International Olympic Committee announces it will launch an investigation into allegations on BBC's Panorama program that Issa Hayatou, who is also an IOC member, took bribes. Hayatou says he is considering legal action against the BBC. Football world governing body FIFA says the allegations have already been investigated and the matter is closed. Hide Caption 10 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline December 2, 2010 – The winning bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals are announced. Russia wins the bid to host the 2018 tournament, with England garnering just two votes despite a last minute meet-and-greet blitz involving UK Prime Minister David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William. But the big shock came when Blatter announced that Qatar would host the 2022 World Cup. Hide Caption 11 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline March 18, 2011 – After months of speculation, Asian Football Confederation chief Mohamed bin Hammam announces he is to stand against Blatter in FIFA's presidential election. Bin Hammam, a Qatari, was a key figure in ensuring that Qatar won the right to host the 2022 World Cup. Hide Caption 12 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 10, 2011 – Just a few weeks before FIFA's presidential vote, former FA chairman David Triesman gives evidence at a UK parliamentary enquiry into England's failed 2018 bid. Under the cover of parliamentary privilege Triesman accused FIFA Ex Co members Warner, Nicholas Leoz, Ricardo Texeira and Worawi Makudi of trying to secure cash and privileges in return for their vote. In other evidence submitted to the committee from the Sunday Times, it was alleged that FIFA vice-president Issa Hayatou along with fellow Ex Co member Jacques Anouma has been paid $1.5 million by Qatar for their World Cup vote. All those accused strenuously deny the allegations. Hide Caption 13 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 27, 2011 – FIFA announces that it will expand its corruption probe to include Sepp Blatter, after AFC president Mohammed bin Hammam claimed Blatter knew about cash payments he was accused of giving to national football association in exchange for pro-Hammam votes during Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid. Blatter maintains that the allegations are "without substance", and is subsequently exonerated by FIFA's ethics committee two days later. Blatter later holds an extraordinary press conference where he tells the world's press: "Crisis? What is a crisis?!" Hide Caption 14 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 29, 2011 – But FIFA's ethics committee upholds the complaints against Bin Hammam and Warner. Hammam is effectively barred from standing in the election. Warner's football "tsunami" turns out to be an email, which Warner releases to the press, where secretary general Jerome Valcke seems to suggest that Qatar "bought" the right to host the 2022 World Cup. After initially threatening legal action, Qatar withdraws its complaint when Valcke explains he was referring to Qatar's large, and legal, campaign budget, rather than bribes. Warner will face no further action following his resignation and the presumption of his innocence will remain. Hide Caption 15 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline May 29, 2011 – Just a few days before the vote, both Warner and Blatter's presidential rival Mohamed Bin Hammam are suspended after fellow Ex Co member Chuck Blazer submits a report alleging that the two men paid $40,000 worth of bribes to secure the support of members of the Caribbean Football Union. Both deny the claims, with Warner promising a "tsunami" of revelations to clear his name. Hide Caption 16 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline June 1, 2011 – Despite a last minute attempt by the English FA to postpone the vote - a proposal which garnered just 17 out of the available 208 votes -Sepp Blatter is re-elected for a fourth term as president of FIFA at the 61st FIFA Congress at Hallenstadion in Zurich. He vows to learn from past mistakes and undertake a reform agenda. Hide Caption 17 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline July 23, 2011 – Former head of the Asian Football Confederation Mohamed Bin Hammam was banned for life by FIFA after a two-day hearing into bribery allegations. Hide Caption 18 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline October 6, 2011 – Chuck Blazer announces he will step down from his role as general secretary of CONCACAF at the end of the year. American Blazer was one of the men who voted on the location for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Hide Caption 19 of 20 Photos: FIFA corruption timeline October 21, 2011 – FIFA president Sepp Blatter announces the introduction of four new task forces and a "Committee of Good Governance" aimed at reforming the organization and repairing its reputation. Hide Caption 20 of 20

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"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 didn'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 'couldn'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.