A 2007 email shows FIFA President Sepp Blatter and then-South African President Thabo Mbeki held "discussions" over $10 million that ultimately went to allegedly corrupt football executives as payback for supporting the country's World Cup bid, according to South Africa's Sunday Times.

The newspaper said that in the email, which was not published, Valcke wrote that the $10 million was "based on discussions between FIFA and the South African government, and also between our President [Blatter] and President Thabo Mbeki."

FIFA didn't immediately respond to a written request from The Associated Press for comment on the purported 2007 email from Valcke. Mbeki's spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga, referred the AP to the earlier statement denying the South African government's involvement in any bribes when Mbeki was president.