Beckenbauer pressure over WC06 claims

State prosecutors in Germany have revealed three men – including Niersbach, ex-DFB president Theo Zwanziger and ex-general secretary Horst Schmidt – are being investigated for serious tax fraud surrounding the Federation Internationale de Football Association payment.

Bild columnist, Alfred Draxler, wrote “my long-standing friend Franz Beckenbauer” signed the draft document, which was initialed by Beckenbauer confidante, Fedor Radmann, later a vice president of the organising committee. Germany won the bid by one vote over South Africa in 2000.

Reinhard Rauball, who alongside Koch is co-interim president of the DFB, said Beckenbauer needs to explain himself.

But “the Kaiser” is under increasing pressure to shed light on the 2006 World Cup scandal in Germany. President of German soccer federation DFB Wolfgang Niersbach, right, and President of Mainz 05 Harald Strutz share a laugh during a German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and VfL Wolfsburg in Mainz, Germany, Saturday, November 7, 2015.

Following Monday’s surprise resignation of Niersbach the spotlight has now shifted to Beckenbauer, who was the head of the 2006 organising committee.

“We do know, what has emerged only today, is there was an attempt by the German FA, with Franz Beckenbauer being one of the signatories, that provides a few sort of contract for CONCACAF and Jack Warner for financial assistance and that was four days ahead of the vote”.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking extradition of several FIFA officials, including former vice-president Jack Warner – who has already been banned from football for life by his ex-employer.

It wrote: “The decisive question is: where did the money go which the Germans say was to finance a World Cup opening gala which never took place?” The letter suggested far-reaching DFB “consideration” for Warner’s central and north American confederation in return for support.

In suspending Warner in September, Federation Internationale de Football Association said Warner “committed many and various acts of misconduct continuously and repeatedly during his time as an official in different high-ranking and influential positions at Federation Internationale de Football Association and CONCACAF”.

Niersbach had denied any vote buying but said in his resignation comments that “things have surfaced” in recent days that led him to take “political responsibility” and step down, while denying any personal guilt.

Speaking after Niersbach’s resignation, Koch said a law firm hired by the DFB to look into the affair had singled out a number of points that need further clarification.

Koch had told ZDF TV on Monday evening that it was “high time” for Beckenbauer – who won the World Cup with Germany as both player and coach – to clarify matters and help the DFB answer questions on what exactly happened.

Last week, German police raided the DFB as part of a tax evasion investigation relating to the 2006 World Cup allegations – the €6.7 million payment did not show up in an audit of the organization’s accounts, according to a report by Der Spiegel.