BERLIN: Sepp Blatter has been summoned to explain how Germany was awarded the 2006 World Cup as prosecutors in Switzerland investigate suspected corruption in the bidding process, the disgraced former FIFA supremo said on Thursday.
Swiss authorities are targeting Franz Beckenbauer, former captain and coach of the German World Cup winning sides, who was president of the German 2006 bid, with a suspect €6.7 million ($7.5 million) payment at the heart of the investigation.
“Via my lawyer I got a call up on February 8 to a meeting with the Berne public prosecutor as a person of interest in the attributing of the 2006 World Cup to Germany,” Blatter said.
Currently serving a six-year ban from football related activity Blatter will meet the Berne prosecutor, who has been working oin the case for two years, on March 28.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been called up in relation to this matter,” said Blatter, who will have turned 83 by the time of the meeting.
“The general secretary (of FIFA) at the time was Urs Linsi, and he maintains I gave him specific guidelines, which I contest,” said Blatter.
The scandal first came to light in October 2015, when news magazine Der Spiegel accused Germany of having used a secret slush fund to buy votes in support of its bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
The fund reportedly held 10 million Swiss francs, or €6.7 million according to the exchange rate at the time.
The money was allegedly provided by the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, head of German sportswear giant Adidas, at the request of Beckenbauer, who headed the committee promoting Germany’s candidacy.
Beckenbauer, now 72, captained Germany to the 1974 World Cup and coached the side that won the trophy in Italy in 1990.
The cash-for-votes scandal has hung over German football since October 2015 when German magazine Der Spiegel revealed the secret fund.
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Ex-FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter summoned in 2006 World Cup investigation
Ex-FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter summoned in 2006 World Cup investigation
- Blatter in the spotlight again, this time over the decision to award Germany the 2006 World Cup.
- Germany accused of having used a secret slush fund to buy votes in support of its bid to host the 2006 tournament.
Inconsistent Sabalenka advances to the fourth round at the Australian Open
- Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka is chasing her third Australian Open title in four years
- Daniil Medvedev rallies from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary
MELBOURNE: Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka overcame several bouts of inconsistent play Friday to beat Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7) and advance to the fourth round at the Australian Open.
Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in the opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 in the tiebreaker before Potapova leveled at 3-3.
Sabalenka held two more set points and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the line off Potapova’s second serve.
After trailing 4-0 in the second set, Potapova rallied to tie it 4-4 and again force a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set points to win the set in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.
“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said of Potapova in her on-court TV interview. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight and … it was such a fight.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys. Sabalenka has also won the US Open twice.
In other women’s matches, No. 17 Victoria Mboko defeated 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.
On the men’s side, No. 11 Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. Medvedev is the 2021 US Open champion.
Also, No. 19 Tommy Paul of the United States beat Alejandro Davidovich when Davidovich retired after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.
And 25th-seeded Learner Tien of the United States defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-2. Tien will play Medvedev in the fourth round.
In later matches on Friday, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz played Corentin Moutet, and third-seeded Coco Gauff played fellow American Hailey Baptiste.
Sabalenka, chasing her third Australian Open title in four years, led 6-5 and 40-0 in the opening set but Potapova saved all three set points to send it to a tiebreaker. Sabalenka led 3-0 in the tiebreaker before Potapova leveled at 3-3.
Sabalenka held two more set points and clinched the set when she laced a backhand down the line off Potapova’s second serve.
After trailing 4-0 in the second set, Potapova rallied to tie it 4-4 and again force a tiebreaker. Potapova had three set points to win the set in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka rallied when the pressure was on.
“She played incredible tennis,” Sabalenka said of Potapova in her on-court TV interview. “I was always on the back foot. There are days where you just have to fight and … it was such a fight.”
Sabalenka won the Australian Open title in 2023 and 2024 and was the runner-up a year ago to Madison Keys. Sabalenka has also won the US Open twice.
In other women’s matches, No. 17 Victoria Mboko defeated 14th-seeded Clara Tauson 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-3.
On the men’s side, No. 11 Daniil Medvedev rallied from two sets down to beat Fabian Marozsan of Hungary 6-7 (5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. Medvedev is the 2021 US Open champion.
Also, No. 19 Tommy Paul of the United States beat Alejandro Davidovich when Davidovich retired after dropping the first two sets 6-1, 6-1.
And 25th-seeded Learner Tien of the United States defeated Nuno Borges 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-2. Tien will play Medvedev in the fourth round.
In later matches on Friday, top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz played Corentin Moutet, and third-seeded Coco Gauff played fellow American Hailey Baptiste.
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