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Ex-FIFA boss Havelange hospitalised in Rio

Former FIFA President Joao Havelange attends the Soccerex global convention at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, November 22, 2010. REUTERS/Bruno Domingos/Files (Reuters)

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Joao Havelange, the 99-year old former president of FIFA, has been hospitalised with respiratory problems, doctors said on Friday. His condition is "stable," Rio de Janeiro's Samaritano hospital said in a brief statement. They would not say when he was interned. It is the second time in two years that Havelange has been hospitalised for pulmonary issues. The former Olympic swimmer and ex-boss of the Brazilian Sports Confederation, was president of football's governing body for 24 years until 1998. He resigned as it's honorary president amid corruption allegations in 2013. (Writing by Andrew Downie, reporting by Caio Saad; editing by Justin Palmer)