The former presidents of the German Football Association (DFB), Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, was tried this Monday along with a former secretary general, who were all accused of tax evasion in connection with the 2006 World Cup organized in Germany. At the center of this case, which has dragged through the legal system for years and has also included several other separate investigations, including one commissioned by the DFB, is a €6.7 million payment linked to the World Cup never happened.
Niersbach, who resigned as DFB president in 2015 over the affair, his predecessor Zwanziger and former secretary general Horst Schmidt were accused of arranging false tax returns filed in 2006 to allow the DFB to avoid paying tax millions. Niersbach, Zwanziger and Schmidt have denied any wrongdoing. The funds were actually used for other purposes and should not be tax deductible, according to prosecutors.
The payment has drawn some scrutiny in recent years over accusations that it was used as a slush fund to buy votes for Germany’s bid to host the 2006 tournament.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
