Franz Beckenbauer Investigated For Corruption Over 2006 World Cup

Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into German football legend Franz Beckenbauer and three others over Germany’s bid for the 2006 World Cup.

As members of that cup’s organising committee, they are suspected of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation.

Some of the alleged crimes were carried out on Swiss territory.

Mr Beckenbauer, who headed the bid, has previously denied corruption.

Last October, he said he had made a “mistake” in the bidding process to host the competition in 2000 but denied votes had been bought.

In March, football’s world governing body FIFA began looking into six men for their part in Germany winning the rights to host the 2006 cup.

‘Repayment of a debt’

After launching their own investigations, linked to those of FIFA, Swiss prosecutors named four suspects on Thursday:

• Franz Beckenbauer: Former vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB), president of the 2006 World Cup local organising committee (LOC) and former member of the Fifa executive committee


• Wolfgang Niersbach: Former president of the DFB, vice-president of the LOC and current member of the Fifa and Uefa executive committees


• Theo Zwanziger: Former president of the DFB, vice-president of the LOC and former member of the Fifa and Uefa executive committees


• Horst Rudolf Schmidt: Former secretary-general of the DFB and vice-president of the LOC

Premises were searched in eight undisclosed locations on Thursday with the co-operation of the Austrian and German authorities, the prosecutors said.

Several suspects were also questioned, they added.

Germany beat South Africa 12-11 in the World Cup vote, which took place in July 2000.

The Swiss investigation centres on the use of 7m euros (£6m; $7.8m), later reduced to 6.7m euros, earmarked for a gala event.

“It is suspected that the suspects knew that this sum was not being used to fund the gala event, but instead to repay a debt that was not owed by the DFB,” prosecutors said in a statement.

“In particular, it is suspected that the suspects wilfully misled their fellow members of the executive board of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup.

“This was presumably done by the use of false pretences or concealment of the truth, thus inducing the other committee members to act in a manner that caused DFB a financial loss.”

No further details were given.

Reporting earlier on Thursday, Germany’s Spiegel magazine said the investigation centred on payments made from 2002-2005.

‘This mistake’

Last October, Mr Beckenbauer said he did not give “money to anyone in order to buy votes”.

But in a statement, he said: “In order to get a subsidy from FIFA [for the organisation of the 2006 World Cup] those involved went ahead with a proposal from the FIFA finance commission that in today’s eyes should have been rejected.

“I, as president of the then-organising committee, bear the responsibility of this mistake.”

He captained West Germany to victory as hosts at the 1974 World Cup and was coach when they next lifted the trophy, in Italy 16 years later.

The former defender went on to manage French side Marseille and German giants Bayern Munich, where he is now honorary president.

Franz Beckenbauer Investigated For Corruption Over 2006 World Cup

I Don"t Envy Jerome - KPB

Ac Milan midfielder, Kevin Prince Boateng says he is happy with the achievements of his brother, Jerome Boateng.

Kevin and Jerome, of Ghanaian decent were born in Berlin, Germany. The half brothers are into football, but in 2009 Kevin Prince Boateng switched his international allegiance to Ghana, the country of his father after he was sacked from the camp of the German U-20 Euro Championship squad.

There were reports the relationship between the two was sour but the later mended their  differences. Kevin, who was tipped for greater heights in football because his talent, failed to be the Prince.

Whislt Jerome Boateng, the younger of the two, has won three German Bundesliga, one champions league and FIFA World Cup.

But Kevin Prince Boateng he is excited for his brother.

In an interview with SID, Boateng said:

“No I don’t envy and I am not jealous of my brother. He has really achieved a lot in football and that makes me happy.”

“He plays for the best football team in the world. Germany is the best team in the world.”

“[Germany] play football with the false nine and without proper striker If they play like in 2014, they are also European champions . ”

In South Africa 2010,Kevin-Prince and Jerome set a record by becoming the first brothers to play against each other at a World Cup finals.

They again met in Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

I Don"t Envy Jerome - KPB

I Made Mistakes At Schalke - KP Boateng

AC Milan midfielder Kevin Prince Boateng has admitted making mistakes during his days at Bundesliga side, Schalke 04, but he insist they were gravious to merit ‘indefinite suspension’.

The Ghanaian international who was sacked from Black Stars camp during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and handed indefinite suspension by the Ghana Football Association, received another sacking and indefinite suspension last year.

The 28-year-old was linked with moves to Sporting Lisbon, but disagreement over image rights crumbled the deal.

He was also linked with move to Saudi Arabia, but he declined to play for a club outside Europe, and he finally landed a return to AC Milan.

He also revealed that he almost hanged his boots.

“Of course I considered it [quitting football],” Boateng told Sport Bild.

“When you can’t find a new club for whatever reasons, and Schalke, the club you are contracted to, no longer want you, you ask yourself if maybe you should quit and do something else to make you happy. But when you are only 28, it’s too early to leave a sport that you love.

“But peace is something you make after a war, and I never had a war or looked for one. But I am pleased that we can now clear it all up calmly and I wish Schalke all the best.

“It was really hard not to have found a new club for such a long time, and also to have no club wanting to put their faith in me for such a long time. I suffered a lot during this time,” he admitted.

“It was the toughest time of my career because, before then, I had always had the luxury of being part of a club where I was playing and I was one of the most important players in that team. I would ask a lot of questions of myself and wonder what it was that I had done wrong in the two years.”

Boateng admitted making mistakes during his time at Schalke O4 but is adamant he was unfairly treated by the club because the couldn’t pin point exactly his crime.

“I cannot think of anything so bad to justify throwing me out,” he said. “Of course I made mistakes, [but not such] that a club who had spent €10 million on me would then suspend me.”

I Made Mistakes At Schalke - KP Boateng