By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – Wolfgang Niersbach, one of the leading voices in European football administration and touted by many as a future president of UEFA, succumbed to what had become almost insurmountable pressure by resigning today as head of the German FA (DFB) over the 2006 World Cup slush fund scandal.
In a highly contentious ballot six years before the tournament, Germany edged home 12-11 over South Africa. Although he has vehemently denied any involvement in the slush fund allegations made in Der Spiegel magazine, Niersbach fell on his sword to preserve the integrity of his federation, a huge blow not only for his own burgeoning career but also for the credibility of UEFA, already rocked by the unrelated suspension of Michel Platini.
Right from the moment the multi-layered FIFA corruption crisis exploded in May, Niersbach, an executive committee member at both FIFA and UEFA, had been at the forefront of calls for meaningful reform and a crucial influence in UEFA’s inner circle.
Yet ironically he became the first major figure in the ongoing crisis to resign “with immediate effect” despite denying knowledge of any slush fund and insisting the €6.7 million in question, which Der Spiegel magazine claims was a return on a loan from the then Adidas CEO Robert-Louis Dreyfus to help buy votes, was in fact paid to release a grant of €170 million to stage the tournament.
Last week the DFB’s headquarters and Niersbach’s private property were raided by tax investigators looking for clues over any wrongdoing. An internal audit has failed to find any trace of the €6.7 million in the DFB’s tax documents.
Niersbach told reporters after an emergency meeting of his federation that he was taking “political responsibility” for the affair. What happens to his UEFA and FIFA roles will now come under immediate and intense scrutiny.
Before going into a meeting with the DFB council and regional leaders Niersbach, who played a hands-on role in the 2006 organising committee, said he was “very confident that I can answer all the questions which colleagues, the heads of the regional associations and the public all expect.”
He was unable to stave off the inevitable but in a resignation statement again protested “unequivocally” that he had no knowledge of any vote-buying scheme and that it was “with a heavy heart” he had decided to stand down for the sake of the DFB itself.
In a highly personal statement, Niersbach, who has run the DFB since March 2012, added: “I was there from the first day of the bid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on the way to final documentation of the summer fairy tale and have worked in all those years at all times not only with great passion, but always cleanly, confidently and correctly.
“In my assigned fields of marketing, media accreditations and event organisation, I can say with a clear conscience that I believe I have absolutely nothing about which to reproach myself.
“More depressing and painful for me is to have been confronted, nine years later, over undertakings at the time in which I was not involved and left open many questions for me.
“I reiterate and make clear once again, unequivocally, that I had no knowledge of the details of the cash flows. This has made my decision all the more difficult in view of the political consequence.
“Over 27 years serving the DFB was always much more than a profession. My work in the different functions was a labour of love for me. I love football and this association in which I experienced wonderful moments and have worked with great people.
“To protect the DFB and the presidential office I am resigning with a heavy heart as DFB president. Nevertheless, I will continue to contribute whatever I can for a comprehensive clarification of these events.”
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