The release of 11 million documents, which have been dubbed the "Panama Papers", has sent shockwaves through politics and sport.

It has prompted FIFA’s Ethics Committee to launch an immediate investigation into Damian’s link with Figueredo, one of seven officials arrested as part of a widespread criminal probe into wrongdoing within football’s world governing body at the Baur Au Lac hotel in Zurich last May.

The former FIFA vice-president has been accused of receiving £33,000 ($49,000/€45,000) in bribes per month in connection with the sale of marketing and television rights,

The leaked papers show Damiani, considered a prominent member of FIFA’s Ethics Committee who has overseen several important cases since he was accepted onto the committee in 2003, provided legal assistance for as many as seven offshore entities linked to Figueredo, extradited to Uruguay last December to face charges.

He pleaded guilty to separate corruption charges in his native country earlier this year.

The documents question the transparency of the FIFA Ethics Committee and its background checks when admitting members.

It understood the relationship between Damiani and Figueredo existed as far back as 2007.

They also show two officials who have been charged as part of the US corruption investigation, Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano, have links to Damiani’s firm, JP Damiani & Asociados, through an offshore company called Cross Trading.

“We [had] worked with Figueredo [but] when the FIFA issue came to light we immediately ended a professional link," said Damiani in a statement.

"My firm is a firm of 60 people, not just me.

“Until May 2015, Figueredo appeared to be a straight person."

The news will come as a blow to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, elected the new head of the scandal-hit governing body in February.

The 46-year-old Swiss lawyer has been a strong advocate of creating a new start for FIFA following the tumultuous developments last year.

“We confirm that on 19 March the Investigatory Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee was informed by the chairman of the Adjudicatory Chamber, Hans-Joachim Eckert, about becoming recently aware of a business relationship between the member of the adjudicatory chamber Juan Pedro Damiani, and Eugenio Figueredo Aguerre,” an Ethics Committee spokesman said.

“After receiving the information Dr Cornel Borbély, chairman of the Investigatory Chamber of the Ethics Committee, has immediately opened a preliminary investigation to review the allegations in question.”

Other former FIFA officials named in the Panama Papers, thought to be one of the biggest leaks of its kind in history which detail how public figures and world leaders use tax havens to guard their finances, include Frenchman Jérôme Valcke.

He was banned for 12 years in February for a series of alleged ethics breaches.

There is no suggestion of illegal activity from Valcke, who appeared in the documents related to a company, named Umbelina SA, in the British Virgin Islands he set up through Mossack Fonseca.

Banned UEFA President Michel Platini also appears in the papers.

FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi, the Argentinian considered one of the greatest footballers ever, is also named.

Messi and his father own a company called Mega Star Enterprises, registered with the Panama law firm in 2012.

They are currently both on trial in Spain for tax evasion.