FIFA’s Jerome Valcke calls Brazil’s Aldo Rebelo “infantile”

SÃO PAULO, Brazil — FIFA's general secretary Jerome Valcke was on the attack again this Saturday when he called Brazil's sports minister Aldo Rebelo's decision to cut ties with him "a bit infantile," according to Brazilian news site Alagoas 24 Horas.

Valcke was referring to an incident that occurred earlier in the day when he said Brazilian World Cup organizers needed "a kick up the backside" because preparations for the upcoming event were falling very behind schedule. Rebelo's reaction was to refuse to work with Valcke anymore. He said he would demand the FIFA general secretary be replaced.

More from GlobalPost: FIFA's Jerome Valcke says Brazil's World Cup organizers need "a kick up the backside"

"If the result (of my comments) is that they no longer want to talk to me, if I'm not the person they want to work with, then it's a bit infantile," Valcke said, according to ESPN Brasil. "I'll still be going to Brazil on March 12."

After the second round of comments from Valcke, Rebelo sent an official letter to FIFA on Monday requesting Valcke be removed from his position as 2014 World Cup partner with the Brazilian government, reported Brazilian news site Band.

"The form and content of [Valcke's] statements are beyong the acceptable standards of a harmonious coexistence between a sovereign country like Brazil and an international organization such as FIFA," said the document, which was addressed to FIFA president Joseph Blatter, according to Band.

Shortly after the Brazilian government sent the letter, they received one in return from Valcke, reported Reuters Brasil, apologizing for his earlier comments.

Will you support The World today?

The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.

Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!