POLICE RAID GERMAN FA OFFICES
POLICE raided the offices of the German Football Federation (DFB) and the homes of top officials yesterday over tax evasion allegations linked to Germany’s hosting of the 2006 World Cup. Prosecutors said they were launching a tax probe but could not pursue accusations of direct corruption because the statute of limitations had expired. About 50 officers swooped on “the DFB headquarters as well as at homes of three accused – the DFB president, former DFB president and former general secretary,” said a prosecution spokeswoman, without giving names. The three are understood to be current DFB chief Wolfgang Niersbach, his predecessor Theo Zwanziger and ex-general secretary Horst Schmidt. Nadja Niesen, senior state prosecutor, said raids were carried out “over suspicions of tax evasion in a particularly serious case”, and related to the €6.7million (RM31.38m) payment to FIFA that was used to buy votes to secure the hosting of the 2006 World Cup. The DFB said it “fully supports” the investigation, adding that prosecutors had told the federation the probe was limited to tax evasion allegations. “The DFB itself is not an accused party in the proceedings,” it added in a statement. FIFA has denied that any deal was made with the DFB over the questionable fund, and has launched its own probe into the awarding of the 2006 World Cup.