Warner denies involvement in 2006 WC scandal
BERLIN: Disgraced football official Jack Warner yesterday denied any wrongdoing in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany over a document appearing to link him to the ongoing scandal. “I have never, ever had any agreement of any kind with anyone on Germany’s hosting of the 2006 World Cup,” wrote Warner in an email to broadcaster Sport 1. “I have said a thousand times that I have no intention of talking or writing to anyone about my 30 years sojourn in the FIFA. “Nor do I have no intention (sic) of joining the international media circus whose only objective seems to be demean and denigrate.” On Tuesday, the German Football Association (DFB) confirmed reports of a draft agreement, signed in part by Franz Beckenbauer, who was chairman of the 2006 World Cup’s organising committee, which German daily Bild claims was aimed at buying “votes for the German bid”.
The draft contract, which reportedly offered a lucrative friendly against Germany, but no cash, is with Warner, the ex-president of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) who is banned for life by FIFA.
But it remains unclear whether the document was ever used. German football has lurched into a crisis over Spiegel magazine’s report last month alleging that the votes of four members of FIFA’s executive committee were bought in 2000, when Germany narrowly won the vote to host the 2006 finals.
At the centre of the scandal is a 6.7 millioneuro ($7.2-million) payment, which is alleged to have been used to purchase the support of FIFA’s executive committee.
The scandal took a dramatic twist last week when police carried out raids at the Frankfurt headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB) and led to Wolfgang Niersbach resigning as DFB president on Monday. Beckenbauer, who is being investigated by FIFA’s ethics committee, is staying tightlipped on the matter publically, despite growing calls to explain his part in the scandal, and will only speak as part of an official investigation.
“Franz Beckenbauer is still available to talk to the appropriate bodies and will not therefore be commenting publicly,” his management group said yesterday.—AFP