Fifa must retract its statement

SPORTS MINISTER FIKILE MBALULA

Mbalula denies bribe claim and demands apology from world soccer body

SPORTS Minister Fikile Mbalula has reiterated the government’s stance that it did not pay a bribe to win votes in the race to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup. He said he would seek a meeting with new Fifa president Gianni Infantino, and the organisation’s lawyers, to give South Africa’s view of the intention of the $10-million (R153-million) paid by South Africa to the Africa Diaspora Legacy Project headed by former Fifa vice-president and Caribbean administrator Jack Warner.

At the same time, he criticised Fifa for its claims, which he said cast a dark light on a successful 2010 World Cup.

“Fifa has inflicted reputational damage of monumental proportions on this country and we believe that Fifa must retract its statement,” Mbalula said.

He was responding to a Fifa statement on Wednesday that they would claim restitution for bribes paid in the awarding of a succession of World Cups, including the $10-million mentioned in a US indictment from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The allegation by US investigators is that the money ended up in the personal bank account of Warner and was, in fact, a bribe to win votes from the region as South Africa edged Morocco for the right to host the 2010 tournament.

But Mbalula said that as far as the government was concerned, its intentions had been honest to help develop football among the African diaspora.

“It was a resolution of the South African government, together with Fifa, to support the diaspora and that is why it is on our plate,” he said.

Mbalula said they could not be held responsible for what happened to the money once it reached the Caribbean, and defended the fact that no follow-up had been made by Safa on how the money was spent.

“We will meet with Fifa, the new president, together with their lawyers, to answer questions on how and why the $10-million was paid,” he said.

Mbalula also confirmed that the money had gone directly from Fifa to the Caribbean as essentially a loan from the World Cup legacy money Fifa had promised South Africa as hosts.

“No taxpayers’ money was used for this payment. It came directly from Fifa,” he said.

Mbalula said he wanted to clear the country’s name after accusing both the domestic and international media of sensationalising the issue.

“We did not bribe. We did everything according to the book, but if others were found to have bribed then let them explain,” he said.

Mbalula was also upset that Fifa had announced bans for former Safa chief executive Leslie Sedibe, former head of referees Steve Goddard and Adeel Carelse without consulting the government.

He said Fifa had promised to update the government on its investigations and any sanctions necessary, but had announced the bans without doing so.