Police in Rio de Janeiro say they have identified a FIFA official they allege helped a group of suspected scalpers in efforts to illegally resell World Cup tickets, including some originally allocated to players.

During an investigation that earlier this week led to the arrest of a ring of 11 suspected ticket touts, police said they had identified the first name of the alleged FIFA official from telephone calls.

The suspected official, said Fábio Barucke, a Rio police investigator in charge of the case, enjoys clearance for FIFA offices, stadiums and would have access to game tickets.

The official, Barucke added, is not Brazilian and is in the country only because of the World Cup.

Barucke said "someone from FIFA" and "an intermediary from Match Hospitality," FIFA's ticket agency, had channelled the tickets onto the black market.

The tickets are normally reserved for sponsors, football federations and players.

The FIFA figure is believed to be staying at the Copacabana Palace, a luxury Rio de Janeiro hotel used by some FIFA hierarchy at the World Cup, Barucke told reporters on Thursday.

The scandal is the latest to hit FIFA, which is already battling against allegations that members took bribes from a Qatari football official to secure support for the emirate's campaign to get the 2022 World Cup finals.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter said he was unaware of the case, according to Estadao newspaper's website. "I don't handle tickets. I handle politics," Blatter was quoted as saying.

FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said the organization "is fully supporting the local authorities."

The touts, police said, aimed to make up to 200 million Brazilian reais (US$90.5m).

The brother and agent of former Brazil star Ronaldinho, Roberto de Assis Moreira, faces questioning in the case, but is not under investigation, the investigating magistrate said.

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