Joao Havelange has resigned from the International Olympic Committee, just days before facing suspension over allegations that he accepted £6million in bribes.
Havelange - the IOC's longest-serving member with 48 years of service - submitted his resignation in a letter Thursday night.
The move came a few days before the IOC’s ethics commission was due to recommend heavy sanctions against Havelange in the case involving FIFA's former marketing agency ISL.
Havelange, 93, an IOC member since 1963, has been under investigation by the ethics commission for allegedly receiving a $1million (£640,000) payment from ISL.
Two other IOC members, IAAF President Lamine Diack and African football official Issa Hayatou, are also under investigation but face much lesser penalties.
A two-year suspension, or even possible expulsion, for Havelange was expected to be considered at Thursday's IOC executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.
With his resignation, the ethics case against him is expected to be dropped.
Havelange served as FIFA president for 24 years before being succeeded by Sepp Blatter in 1998. He remains honorary president of FIFA.
The ethics case stems from a BBC documentary last year into kickbacks allegedly paid by ISL, which owned World Cup television rights and collapsed with debts of $300m (£192m) in 2001.
