By Markus Hausmann
June 7 – The usually suave and always immaculately behaved German football legend, Franz Beckenbauer, had a few choice words on offer when asked about the present craze about Qatar’s alleged World Cup Bid irregularities this week in Munich.
At a media briefing, which focused on the German National Squad’s chances and Beckenbauer’s assessment of the competition they will encounter in Brazil, he was confronted with a number of questions about Qatar and his own position with regard to the country as hosts of the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
As one of the Members of the FIFA Executive Committee at the time, Michael Garcia, the American investigator who, perhaps surprisingly, investigates America’s direct competitors, wanted to interview Beckenbauer and sent him letters to that effect. Beckenbauer confirmed that he was one of the few who had refused to meet with Garcia and that he had a couple of issues the way the US “gentleman” has been going about his business.
“Firstly, I must say that I am seriously surprised about Mr Garcia’s approach. I am no longer actively involved in football, and he has therefore no power whatsoever to interview me. Fact is also, that Mr Garcia, who is probably used to calling the shots, reacted unpleasantly to my response and tried the limits of my patience in his second missive, both in tone and content. I believe that the gentleman should try to understand that we like to maintain a certain form in Europe,” he said.
After Beckenbauer refused the first formal invite to meet, Garcia sent off a more determined second letter, the aggressive and apparently vitriolic tone of which seems to have confirmed the Kaiser’s decision.
The German football Grande therefore decided not to be interviewed by Garcia and is by no means the only football personality who did so. Several others decided the same, while a number of others, no longer involved in football, also declined.
Garcia’s failure to talk to crucial players who were either Members of the ExCo in 2010 or held senior roles inside or outside FIFA raises questions about the evidence he will be able to bring in his final report. Further questions are now circulating regarding the millions of FIFA dollars spent on the investigation and how it has been conducted.
Beckenbauer’s evidence, had it been presented, would likely have been helpful. “Look, everybody knows whose side I was on. The German Football Association, DFB, had a gentlemen’s agreement with the Australian FA and thus I had a mandate. I had made my views clear at several occasions, and in public,” Beckenbauer concluded.
The Garcia Report into alleged corruption and bribes prior or after the FIFA World Cup vote in 2010 is set to be published within a few weeks. It was announced that phase one, the collection of evidence, will be concluded next week Monday.
Contact the writer of this story at markus moc.l1735250061labto1735250061ofdlr1735250061owedi1735250061sni@n1735250061namsu1735250061ah1735250061