{"id":121868,"date":"2015-06-04T06:05:06","date_gmt":"2015-06-04T06:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=121868"},"modified":"2015-06-03T19:05:59","modified_gmt":"2015-06-03T19:05:59","slug":"south-africa-denies-10m-2010-world-cup-bribe-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2015\/06\/south-africa-denies-10m-2010-world-cup-bribe-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa denies $10m 2010 World Cup bribe claims"},"content":{"rendered":"
South Africa has denied paying a $10m bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup, in the wake of a US inquiry into corruption at world football body Fifa.<\/p>\n
Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula said the money in question was above board and intended to support football in the African diaspora in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n
The Fifa scandal erupted last week when US prosecutors indicted 14 people.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, president Sepp Blatter said he was to step down, just days after he had been re-elected for a fifth term.<\/p>\n
Of the 14 people indicted by the US on charges of racketeering and money laundering, seven were senior Fifa officials, including two vice-presidents. The seven were arrested in Switzerland as they awaited the Fifa congress that re-elected Mr Blatter and are currently awaiting extradition to the US.<\/p>\n
The US justice department alleges the 14 accepted bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than $150m (\u00a397m) over a 24-year period.<\/p>\n