ZURICH (AP) -- FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke was not involved in the $10 million payment mentioned in the U.S. corruption probe rocking soccer's governing body, FIFA said Tuesday.
FIFA said the payment was approved in 2007 by Julio Grondona, the former chairman of the finance committee who died last year.
The FIFA statement follows a New York Times report that American law enforcement officials believe Valcke transferred the money in 2008 to accounts controlled by Jack Warner, the former CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president who faces corruption charges in the U.S. The report cited unidentified law enforcement officials.