Germany’s winning bid for the 2006 World Cup was aided by bribes paid to FIFA executive committee members, the German newsweekly Der Spiegel reported on Friday.
Spiegel said the German bidding committee set up a slush fund of 10.3 million Swiss francs (about $6 million at that time) that was contributed in a private capacity by former Adidas chief Robert louis-Dreyfus.
The money was used to secure the votes of four Asian representatives on FIFA’s 24-member executive committee before the tournament was awarded to Germany on July 6, 2000, the magazine said.
The Asian members joined European representatives in voting for Germany, which won 12-11 after Charles Dempsey of New Zealand abstained from the vote.
Of the three Asian representatives still living, Spiegel only identified Chung Moon-joon of South Korea, who was quoted as telling the magazine that “the questions were unworthy of a response.”
Spiegel said both Franz Beckenbauer, the former Germany great who headed the bidding committee, and Wolfgang Niersbach, the current president of German football federation (DFB), as well as other high-ranking football officials were aware of slush fund by 2005 at the latest.
louis-Dreyfus’ loan payment was reportedly kept secret — it did not appear in bidding committee’s budget, nor later in budget of World Cup organizing committee. Spiegel said louis-Dreyfus asked for the money back a year-and-a-half before the tournament began. By then it was worth 6.7 million euros. Beckenbauer, by then the president of the organizing committee, and Niersbach, the vice president, “began looking for a way in 2005 to pay back the illicit funds in an inconspicuous manner,” the magazine said.
Spiegel reported a cover was created with the help of FIFA and that 6.7 million euros was transferred to world football’s governing body as a contribution to an opening ceremony gala that was later cancelled.
“The money had been paid into a FIFA bank account in Geneva. From there, FIFA allegedly promptly transferred the money to a Zurich account belonging to louis-Dreyfus,” Spiegel reported. louis-Dreyfus died in 2009.
Spokeswoman Pamela Mueller-Niese told that the German Interior Ministry had “no knowledge” of the matter.
later in the day, FIFA said these “are very serious allegations” that “will be reviewed as part of the independent internal investigation currently being conducted by FIFA under the direction of its legal director with the assistance of outside counsel.”
DFB to investigate payment to FIFA
Berlin: The German football federation says it is investigating whether a multi-million-euro payment it made to FIFA in 2005 was misused.
The DFB said on Friday it had paid 6.7 million euros to FIFA in April 2005 for the world governing body’s “Cultural Program.”
The DFB says it has “become aware” that the funds may not have “been used for their intended purpose.” It did not elaborate. The federation says attorneys are now conducting an internal investigation to determine whether the DFB may be entitled to have the funds returned.
The information came up during DFB’s investigation of its relationship with FIFA, and Germany’s award of the 2006 World Cup.
Platini loses Eng support
lausanne (Switzerland): Michel Platini lost England’s support for his FIFA presidential bid on Friday, signaling the first crack in European unity behind the Frenchman that UEFA had sought to portray.
The English Football Association was one of the first federations to publicly endorse Platini’s campaign in July and now becomes the first to distance itself from the UEFA president while he remains under investigation. The English FA indicated on Friday that it had concerns about the explanation for Platini receiving 2 million Swiss francs (about $2 million) from FIFA in 2011.
“At the UEFA meeting on Thursday the FA learnt more information relating to the issues at the center of this case from Mr. Platini’s lawyers,” the FA said in a statement.
“As a result of learning this information, the FA Board has this morning concluded that it must suspend its support for Mr. Platini’s candidature for the FIFA Presidency until the legal process has been concluded and the position is clear.” That legal process could continue beyond the February 26 election and the FA is preparing the ground to back a new candidate.
Platini retained his backing at home, with French federation president Noel le Graet impressed by Platini’s lawyer speech, which he said was delivered in a “serene atmosphere.”
The Danish federation will wait for the ethics process to conclude before deciding who to back in the election, with the Nordic associations set to discuss Platini’s case at a meeting next month.
Salman closes on bid
Geneva: Asian football leader Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa is looking to stand in FIFA presidential election to succeed Sepp Blatter if he has enough support, a person familiar with the situation told on Thursday.
Sheikh Salman, member of Bahrain’s royal family, has until October 26 to submit his candidacy which requires the backing of five federations to make the Feb 26 ballot.
Sheikh Salman will use next week’s trip to Zurich for the FIFA executive committee meeting to discuss with fellow leaders if they would support his presidential bid, the person said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision has been made.
FIFA suspends Kuwait
Zurich: FIFA suspended Kuwait’s football association over government interference with immediate effect on Friday.
While attending a FIFA meeting in Switzerland, Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah of Kuwait said his position on the executive committee was not affected by his federation’s suspension.
FIFA’s executive committee in September had given Kuwait until Oct 15 to make changes to the sports law.
“The suspension will be lifted only when the KFA and its members are able to carry out their activities and obligations independently,” FIFA said in a statement.