South Africa Denies Paying Bribes to Get 2010 Soccer World Cup

South Africa's sports minister denied Thursday that bribes were paid to win the right to host the 2010 World Cup, after FIFA revealed yesterday that it is looking to claw back money from corrupt officials.

Soccer's world governing body claimed to the U.S. Attorney's office in New York that a US$10 million bribe was paid from the South African Football Association officials to get votes for the country's World Cup bid, although FIFA backed away from directly accusing South Africa of bribery.

Now South Africa's Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula, is kicking back.

"South Africa did not pay a bribe nor did it conspire to illegally obtain the rights to host (the) 2010 FIFA World Cup,” Mbalula told reporters in Cape Town as he defended the country's record over the tournament.

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A payment of US$10 million was made through FIFA into an account controlled by Jack Warner, a disgraced former FIFA vice president from the Caribbean. U.S. investigators believe the money was a bribe to secure South Africa's selection as host of the 2010 competition.

Authorities insist the $10 million payment was an honest donation to support football among the "African diaspora" in the Caribbean.

"The matter was above board and was approved by FIFA," Mbalula said. "South Africa considers it as an insult to reduce one of its hallmark pograms that recognize the struggles and achievements of African people around the world to a mere caricature, an incubator for bribery."

Qatar’s winning bid for the 2022 World Cup prompted the U.S. investigation into the body. However, disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who has been banned from all soccer related activities for six years following an illicit payment to UEFA boss Michel Platini, said he is not to blame for last year’s corruption scandal.

"What the American authorities have done so far, they have arrested about 24 or 26 people. But all these people are American people from North or South America...they have done their activities not in direct connection with FIFA but with the confederations,” Blatter told China’s CCTV News.

"I don't know who will stop this Qatar World Cup," said Blatter. "When we have taken this decision of the executive committee, and there is no evidence that something is wrong."