By Andrew Warshaw
November 4 – Pressure is increasing on German Football Association (DFB) chief and FIFA executive committee member Wolfgang Niersbach to stand down following Tuesday’s raid by tax authorities on the DFB’s headquarters as part of an investigation linked to the country’s winning bid for the 2006 World Cup.
On Tuesday more than 50 police and tax investigators also searched Niersbach’s home and those of other officials including his predecessor Theo Zwanziger and former DFB general secretary Horst Schmidt in search of evidence that could back up suspicions of non-payment of tax on the infamous €6.7 million payment to FIFA which Der Spiegel magazine claims was a return on a loan from the then Adidas CEO Robert-Louis Dreyfus to help buy votes.
“Can Niersbach remain in office,” asked the best-selling Bild newspaper on Tuesday. “The DFB must act,” wrote the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, adding: “Niersbach may not be the big cheat. But his position as a leading figure of the DFB, which is fighting for its credibility, has become untenable for weeks.”
Der Spiegel’s breaking story claimed a slush fund was set up with Louis-Dreyfus’ money, an allegation both the DFB and Niersbach, as well as then organising chief Franz Beckenbauer, have fiercely rejected.
German politicians are demanding explanations and urging the DFB to come clean but Niersbach has not spoken publicly since Tuesday’s raids.
A member of both the FIFA and UEFA excos, 64-year-old Niersbach has only recently been touted as a possible contender to lead European football’s governing body in succession to Michel Platini. But the cash-for-votes allegations have scuppered any hope of this.
The prosecutor’s office said shifting through the evidence would takes weeks but should there be proof of tax evasion the case would go to court.
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