South African official casually mentions Iraq War in reaction to US-led FIFA investigation

GlobalPost

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — As the FIFA corruption scandal unfolds, frustrated soccer fans around the world have actually praised the United States for its latest foreign intervention.

The tone from South Africa's sports minister, Fikile Mbalula, has been somewhat less enthusiastic.

At a press conference Wednesday to rebut US Justice Department allegations that South Africa paid a $10 million in bribe to ensure hosting rights for the 2010 World Cup, Mbalula seemed a bit miffed that the Americans hadn't yet been in touch.

"We still need the United States authorities to share with us the basis of their allegations," he said.

If these developments will leave us as the way we have left the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, then it was not a worthy cause to pursue

Mbalula said the United States was "parading as world policemen." He added that while South Africa is an ally in fighting corruption, "we will never be part of vested interests."

Mbalula a little later took the rhetoric up a notch: "We will not allow us to be collateral damage in the battles that are ensuing in the geopolitical space."

“If these developments will leave us as the way we have left the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, then it was not a worthy cause to pursue. But if they are about bringing justice and cleanliness in football, then let’s all sing hallelujah," he said.

Asked about the resignation of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Mbalula said he was "shocked" by the news, and praised Blatter as "a good friend of South Africa."

“He played a major role in terms of shifting the world to focus on Africa in relation to the hosting of the World Cup for the first time,” he said. “That’s how we’ll remember Sepp. As for conflicts after, it’s for the British and Americans to fight their battles.”

South Africans have reacted strongly to the FIFA arrests and allegations of corruption, especially the revelations that the South African government may have paid a bribe to hold the 2010 World Cup. One South African journalist said it was "the day FIFA stole a part of us."

“It’s stolen more than a moment in time, or part of our memory as a nation, or one of the events that is part of our founding myth,” the journalist wrote. “At a time when it can be difficult to have self-respect as a South African, they’ve stolen some of that too.”

Yikes.

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