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Jerome Valcke
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A 10million US
dollar payment from FIFA to an account controlled by the disgraced former
vice-president Jack Warner followed a letter from South Africa to FIFA
secretary general Jerome Valcke, it can be revealed.
The payment followed a letter from South African FA
president Molefi Oliphant to Valcke asking for the payment to be withheld from
World Cup funds and paid instead to Warner to support football in the
Caribbean.
The payment is at the heart of the FIFA bribery scandal
- a US justice department indictment of 18 people on corruption charges says
the money was paid to Warner and his deputy Chuck Blazer in return for them
voting for the 2010 World Cup to be played in South Africa.
Press Association report continues:
A FIFA statement said Valcke was not involved, but
that the payment was made at the request of the South African government and
FA, and authorized by Julio Grondona, the former finance chief and long-time
ally of president Sepp Blatter. Grondona died last year.
Press Association Sport has seen a copy of the letter
which contains detailed instructions for the payment.
The letter to Valcke from the then South African FA
president Molefi Oliphant on March 4 2008 states:
"Dear Mr
Valcke
In view of the
decision by the South African government that an amount of USD 10million from
the organising committee's future operational budget funding and thereafter
advances the amount to the Diaspora Legacy Programme.
In addition,
SAFA requests that the Diaspora Legacy Programme be administered and
implemented directly by the President of CONCACAF who shall act as a fiduciary
of the Fund.
SAFA therefore
confirms that:
1. FIFA shall
withhold USD 10million from the organizing committee's future operational
budget funding in order to finance the Diaspora Legacy Programme, thereby
reducing the organizing committee's overall budget from USD 423million to USD
413 million.
2. The Diaspora
Legacy Programme shall be administered and implemented directly by the
President of CONCACAF who shall act as a fiduciary of the Diaspora Legacy
Programme Fund of USD 10million.
Yours
faithfully
Dr M
Oliphant."
According to the US indictment, the money was siphoned
off into Warner's personal accounts and he paid 750,000 US dollars of a
promised 1million to Blazer.
FIFA insisted Valcke nor any other senior management
figure was involved.
A FIFA statement said: "The payments totalling
USD 10m were authorized by the then chairman of the Finance Committee and
executed in accordance with the organization regulations of FIFA. FIFA did not
incur any costs as a result of South Africa's request because the funds
belonged to the LOC. Both the LOC and SAFA adhered to the necessary formalities
for the budgetary amendment.
"Neither the Secretary General Jerome Valcke nor
any other member of FIFA's senior management were involved in the initiation,
approval and implementation of the above project."
FIFA reacted to the letter insisting the finance
committee made the final approval.
A FIFA spokesperson said via email: "The letter
is consistent to our statement where we underlined that the FIFA Finance
Committee made the final approval.
"In general, the FIFA Secretary General is the
recipient of all letters and requests to the administration and acts in
accordance with FIFA's regulations.
"We would like to reiterate that neither the
Secretary General Jerome Valcke nor any other member of FIFA's senior
management were involved in the initiation, approval and implementation of the
Diaspora project."
Meanwhile, a House of Commons debate on Britain's
relationship with FIFA will be held on Wednesday June 10 in Westminster Hall
involving sports minister Tracey Crouch who will respond for the Government.
Damian
Collins, the MP who is campaigning for reform of FIFA has secured the debate,
said: "I want to take forward the case for a boycott of FIFA and the 2018
World Cup if Sepp Blatter remains president. This should also include planning
now for an alternative World Cup to be organized for 2018."
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