Pay bankrupt Becker’s fees to accountants, BBC is told
TELEVISION chiefs hiring Boris Becker as a tennis pundit have been told to pay his fees straight to accountants handling his multimillion pound bankruptcy, it was revealed yesterday.
Becker works as a Wimbledon commentator for the BBC and recently extended his contract with Eurosport, for whom he covers the three other Grand Slam events.
Insolvency practitioners at Londonbased Smith & Williamson have written to broadcasters demanding all future fees are used for the benefit of creditors.
The report in a German newspaper said employers could otherwise end up paying twice – once to Becker and once to the insolvency administrator. Becker, who is 50 next month, was declared bankrupt by the High Court in London earlier this year over a debt of up to £10.5million to a private bank.
Last week reports in Germany claimed the bankruptcy declaration was only the “tip of the iceberg” and that he actually owes £54million.
Lawyers for the three-times Wimbledon champion “vehemently deny” that figure and said reports that the star is having to sell his treasured trophies were “inaccurate”.
Mark Ford, lead joint trustee of Becker’s estate, said: “We can confirm that a communication was sent to a number of organisations internationally who may have contracted with Boris Becker.”
Jan Gross, a Cologne lawyer, is now examining claims and assets in the Becker case in Germany. Gross, hired by the administrators in London to pick over his remaining assets on the Continent, said: “The bankruptcy in an EU state is valid throughout Europe.”
He said his firm is also charged with investigating whether Becker still possesses real estate assets.
Becker became one of the world’s richest sportsmen after clinching a total of six Grand Slam titles during a glittering career.
He became the youngest ever Wimbledon champion in 1985 aged just 17. Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker, now a regular television pundit, seen leaving his London home this week