FIFA confirms ethics probe into head of Brazilian soccer

FILE - In this Feb. 26, 2016 file photo Swiss Gianni Infantino, then new FIFA President, smiles during the press conference after being elected, at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. FIFA's ethics committee has cleared Infantino of alleged misconduct relating to use of private flights. FIFA ethics prosecutors say their decision to end a formal investigation into alleged conflicts of interest and improperly accepting gifts was supported by FIFA ethics judges. ( Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP, File) (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 file photo, Brazilian Football Confederation President Marco Polo del Nero listens to questions during a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. FIFA ethics investigators confirmed Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016 that they are formally investigating the indicted head of Brazilian soccer, just days after he met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File) (The Associated Press)

FIFA ethics investigators have confirmed they are formally investigating the indicted head of Brazilian soccer just days after he met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino .

Marco Polo del Nero has remained president of the Brazilian Football Confederation despite being among the officials indicted last year as part of the American investigation into soccer corruption.

After meeting Del Nero on Thursday, Infantino said "we did not talk about investigations."

Now the investigatory chamber of FIFA's ethics committee tells The Associated Press that "there are formal proceedings going on against Marco Polo del Nero" that were opened in December.

Del Nero has avoided traveling outside Brazil to FIFA meetings since being indicted. Brazil has a long history of not extraditing its own citizens to other nations.