By Andrew Warshaw
August 3 – An exclusive South African report has revealed that Danny Jordaan, the public face of the 2010 World Cup, has hired an elite set of lawyers to defend him in the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal.
Jordaan, who has repeatedly claimed that he has no case to answer, has reportedly employed lawyers both at home and in New York to engage with authorities in the US on his behalf.
The US-led probe has so far led to over 40 individuals and entities being indicted on bribery and fraud charges but as yet unresolved is the $10 million payment made by the South African FA that ended up in the hands of notorious former FIFA powerbroker and CONCACAF boss Jack Warner, a sum FIFA says was a bribe but which South African authorities have always countered was completely above board.
Jordaan, head of the South African FA who was CEO of his country’s successful 2010 bid, has been conspicuous by his absence at various FIFA summits in recent months including the FIFA presidential election in February. Authorities in South Africa admit the suspect $10 million payment was made to CONCACAF but have always maintained it was for the African Diaspora Legacy Fund in the region.
Others take the view, however, that it was a bribe to ‘buy’ CONCACAF’s three votes and reports claim the FBI has identified two South African “co-conspirators” in its indictment, who are yet to be named.
Both of them are reportedly “high-ranking official(s) of the 2006 South Africa World Cup bid committee and the 2010 South Africa World Cup bid committee and local organising committee.”
Only Jordaan, Tokyo Sexwale – who stood for FIFA president earlier this year – and Irvin Khoza, chairman of the 2010 organising committee, served on both bid bodies.
According to News24, Jordaan’s legal move raises fresh questions about the Americans’ interest in his role and whether he is on the hit list to be arrested. He is yet to explain fully why he has engaged top lawyers to act on his behalf or why he has ceased travelling internationally.
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