FIFA says Valcke not involved in $10 million payment

FIFA President Sepp Blatter (L) and Jerome Valcke, Secretary General of the FIFA do a Handshake For Peace at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich, Switzerland, May 29, 2015. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich

ZURICH (Reuters) - FIFA denied on Tuesday that President Sepp Blatter's right hand man Jerome Valcke was involved in $10 million (7 million pounds) bank transactions under investigation by U.S authorities despite the publication of a letter to Valcke outlining the payment.

Valcke, who has been secretary general since 2007 and is seen as one of the most powerful men in world sport, had no role in the payments, which were authorised by the chairman of FIFA's Finance Committee, FIFA said in a statement.