FIFA: Senior officials were given luxury watches

ZURICH (AP) FIFA has acknowledged that its executive committee members were given luxury watches by the Brazilian Football Confederation at the World Cup and

ZURICH (AP) FIFA has acknowledged that its executive committee members were given luxury watches by the Brazilian Football Confederation at the World Cup and says its ethics committee is ''dealing with the matter.''

British newspaper Sunday Times reported that senior FIFA officials were given Swiss watches worth $25,000 in gift bags left in their hotel rooms when they arrived in Brazil for the tournament.

FIFA's ethics rules forbid officials from accepting gifts of more than symbolic value.

FIFA said in a statement that the Brazilian confederation distributed ''commemorative watches'' to its executive committee members. FIFA says ''the Ethics Committee was informed about this accordingly and is dealing with the matter.''

The Sunday Times said three executive committee members, including Sunil Gulati of the United States, returned the watches and reported the gifts to FIFA.