GENEVA: Swiss federal prosecutors on Thursday announced that they had opened criminal proceedings against German legend Franz Beckenbauer amidst corruption allegations in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.
Beckenbauer, 70, is under investigation with three other members of the 2006 World Cup organizing committee — Hans-Rudolf Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach — said the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland in Bern.
The Swiss court also announced that searches had taken place on Thursday at eight unnamed locations, in collaboration with German and Austrian authorities.
“The proceedings relate in particular to allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation,” the office said in a statement.
“The suspects were members of the executive board of the organizing committee for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.”
When contacted, Beckenbauer’s management would give no comment to SID, an AFP subsidiary, with criminal prosecution now threatening their client for the first time.
Under Swiss law, criminal mismanagement is punishable with a fine or, in special cases, imprisonment of between three to five years.
Niersbach and Zwanziger are both former German Football Association presidents and Schmidt is a former general secretary.
Both Zwanziger and Schmidt said they knew ‘nothing about’ the new developments when contacted by SID.
“I have no further knowledge, but will, however, attempt to get some clarity through my lawyer,” Niersbach told SID.
All four were members of Germany’s World Cup organizing committee, with Beckenbauer its president.
Beckenbauer captained Germany to the 1974 World Cup and coached the side that won the trophy in Italy in 1990.
German magazine Der Spiegel claimed in October 2015 a secret fund of 10 million Swiss francs was used to buy the hosting rights of the 2006 World Cup.
The money allegedly came from the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, ex-boss of Adidas, at Beckenbauer’s request, and was handed over in 2000, just before Germany were awarded the 2006 finals by a narrow vote.
In May, an independent inquiry commissioned by the German Football Association (DFB) said it could not rule out that Germany bought votes to secure the 2006 World Cup.
Beckenbauer has always denied any wrongdoing.
Beckenbauer under investigation amid corruption allegations
Beckenbauer under investigation amid corruption allegations
Marmoush, Salah strike as Egypt edge out holders Ivory Coast in quarter-final
- Egypt wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute
- That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance
AGADIR, Morocco: Omar Marmoush netted the opener and Mohamed Salah scored the decisive goal as Egypt ended Ivory Coast’s reign with a narrow 3-2 triumph in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.
Center back Rami Rabia was the other scorer for the Egyptians, who had little possession at the Grande Stade Agadir but took their chances with clinical precision and held on grimly to book a semifinal meeting with Senegal on Wednesday.
An own goal from Ahmed Fatouh and a late effort by Guela Doue proved insufficient for the Ivory Coast, winners of the tournament on home soil two years ago but now deposed as African champions.
Egypt, who have won a record seven Cup of Nations titles, wasted little time in taking the lead as Marmoush scored in the fourth minute after Hamdi Fathy pinched the ball from Franck Kessie in the midfield, allowing Emam Ashour to thread a pinpoint ball to the sprinting Marmoush. He still needed to shrug off the attentions of defender Odilon Kossounou before slotting home.
But it quickly became clear the Ivorians were going to dominate possession, showing much more physical strength on the ball but without setting up clear chances.
Egypt went 2-0 up in the 32nd minute when Rabia rose above the defenders to head his side further ahead from a corner.
The Ivory Coast, who had 70 percent of possession in the first half, reduced the deficit eight minutes later when teenager Yann Diomande’s freekick near the corner took a slight brush off Kossounou’s head and ricocheted off the knee of full back Fatouh and into the net.
SALAH FINISHED OFF CLEVER MOVE
The Ivorians had come from 2-0 down to beat Gabon 3-2 earlier in the tournament but hopes of turning the scoreline around soon after the re-start were stymied by a simply created, but superbly finished, goal for Salah seven minutes after the break.
Rabia was well inside his own half when he chipped the ball over the top of the Ivorian defensive line, allowing Ashour to run onto it and hit an accurate pass with the outside of his right boot into the path of Salah to score.
An Ivorian comeback was still on when Doue touched home at the end of a goalmouth scramble in the 73rd minute.
That set up a siege of the Egyptian goal in the final 15 minutes but they held out to advance.
Earlier on Saturday, Nigeria overpowered Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech and will take on hosts Morocco in the other semifinal.
