Football's world governing body this week issued a wide-ranging acknowledgement of what it called "brazen corruption" in a demand for "victim restitution" made to US authorities.
The claim to the US Attorney's office in New York said a $10 million bribe was paid from South Africa to get votes for the country's World Cup bid -- but FIFA backed away from directly accusing South Africa of bribery.
"South Africa did not pay a bribe nor did it conspire to illegally obtain the rights to host (the) 2010 FIFA World Cup," Fikile Mbalula told reporters in Cape Town as he defended the country's record over the tournament.
A payment of $10 million was made through FIFA into an account controlled by Jack Warner, a disgraced former FIFA vice president from the Caribbean accused by US authorities for accepting bribes.
