FIFA email may connect Blatter, money

SOCCER: A 2007 email shows FIFA President Sepp Blatter and then-South African President Thabo Mbeki held “discussions” over the $10 million that ultimately went to allegedly corrupt senior soccer executives as payback for supporting the country’s World Cup bid, a newspaper claimed Sunday.

South Africa’s Sunday Times reported that the email from FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke to the South African government asks when the $10 million, characterized as a bribe by American investigators, will be transferred.

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 and the South African government have said it was money given legitimately by South Africa to help soccer development in the Caribbean.

Pac-12 teams to use injury spotter for FB

MISCELLANY: Pac-12 teams will use injury spotters during football games that will monitor teams with video technology and communicate with coaches and medical personnel.

Injury spotters will closely watch every play and have the ability to rewind, pause, zoom and change camera angles to evaluate players for possible injuries.

• Farah drops out: Mo Farah’s absence overshadowed the action in track and field’s Diamond League in England. Farah, the world and Olympic 5,000 and 10,000-meter champion, withdrew, saying he was “emotionally and physically drained” after his coach, Alberto Salazar, was accused of using doping practices for his athletes at the Nike Oregon Project.