South Americans critical of Wenger’s comments on Africa

By MAURICIO SAVARESE
AP Sports Writer

SAO PAULO (AP) — South American soccer’s governing body has rebuked FIFA’s chief of global development Arsène Wenger for suggesting Africa’s infrastructure is inadequate for talent development and that Europe is the only continent where rising stars can reach full potential. CONMEBOL says the words of the former Arsenal manager show ignorance about African players and are “a denigrating twist that hides the effort of footballers and sporting institutions outside of Europe.” The statement from the sport’s south American organizers says frequently the “most objectionable prejudices are disguised as reasoned and intelligent reflections.”