FIFA’s new leadership has for the first time revealed that South Africa paid a bribe to host the 2010 World Cup event.
The world football governing body accused former vice-president Jack Warner of being one of three FIFA ex-officials, alongside Chuck Blazer and an unidentified third person, to have accepted a $10m bribe.
Warner and the South African government last year denied any bribery reports to influence the country to host the continental showpiece.
“Warner and his co-conspirators lied to Fifa about the nature of the payment, disguising it as support for the benefit of the ‘African Diaspora’ in the Caribbean region, when in reality it was a bribe,” Fifa said in a 22-page document submitted to US authorities.
“They disguised and funnelled the bribe money through the financial accounts of FIFA, member associations, and the 2010 FIFA World CupTM local organizing committee,” it added.
The document was submitted as part of FIFA’s attempt to claim “tens of millions of dollars” from the 41 former FIFA officials and other football organisations who have been charged with football-related corruption by US authorities.
FIFA is now under new leadership after Gianni Infantino won last month’s election to succeed Sepp Blatter.
