Report: Germany bought right to host 2006 World Cup using bribes
Germany's World Cup bidding committee paid bribes to high-ranking FIFA representatives for the right to host the 2006 tournament, reports German magazine Der Spiegel.
Former Adidas CEO Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who died in 2009, reportedly loaned 10.3 million Swiss francs to the committee headed by legendary German footballer Franz Beckenbauer.
This loan reportedly funded the necessary kickbacks to members of FIFA's executive committee before the World Cup was awarded on July 6, 2000.
Wolfgang Niersbach, the current president of the German football federation (DFB), was reportedly also aware of the slush fund.
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The money never appeared on the official budget of either the bidding or organizing committee for that World Cup. It was reportedly paid back to Louis-Dreyfus through a FIFA bank account in Geneva in 2005 at a value of €6.7 million.
That payment was listed as a "contribution" for a FIFA gala in the report, but the ceremony didn't proceed as planned. Instead, the world football governing body used it as a cover for the funds, which were "promptly" transferred to a Zurich bank account owned by Louis-Dreyfus.
The DFB denied Friday's allegations and announced it had launched an internal investigation.
"After thorough examination and auditing, the DFB have found no evidence of any irregularities," a DFB statement read. "Furthermore, there is no evidence that any of the delegates’ votes were won illegally at any stage in the application process."
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The DFB was aware of the €6.7 million, which it confirms was paid to FIFA in April 2005. It admits it may not have been used for "its intended purpose," but rules out any link to the decision to host the world's biggest tournament in Germany the following year.
The loan reportedly secured votes from four Asian representatives serving on FIFA's 24-member executive committee at the time.
Three of the representatives are still living, but Der Spiegel named just one: recently suspended South Korean tycoon Chung Moon-joon, who is quoted as saying the accusations were "unworthy of a response."
Chung previously stated he would sue FIFA for defamation over the six-year ban he received from its ethics committee.
The other two representatives didn't respond to requests for comment.