Brazilian referee Edilson Pereira de Carvalho was handed a worldwide suspension by FIFA after allegations he was involved in a match-fixing scheme affecting the national championship.

World soccer's governing body said the ban, which applies until further notice, was imposed "in the light of the Brazilian federal police's decision to open a criminal investigation into his alleged involvement in a match-fixing scandal".

The Brazilian FA informed FIFA that it had also opened an investigation into the case and will take "all the necessary measures to resolve the matter".

The affair blew up on Saturday when Carvalho was arrested at his home in the provincial town of Jacerei.

Police swooped after the weekly news magazine Veja alleged that Carvalho, a FIFA referee, had accepted bribes to fix results from an illegal gambling ring.

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