An honorary position requires from its support two things: He must be a man of honor, and he has to make his official honor. Whether Wolfgang Niersbach, president of the German Football Association (DFB), a man of honor is, will probably turn out only in days, weeks or perhaps months when its role is clarified in the context of a slush fund of the Bid Committee for the 2006 World Cup. Whether he makes his position of honor, has however already been found, in just three days, since Wednesday this week. Because in order to do honor to his office, the chief of millions footballers in the country must not squander its credibility. But what can you really still believe Wolfgang Niersbach after these three days? A man with a now expelled lactating relationship to truth? On Wednesday, at 12 noon clock, sent the SPIEGEL Niersbach 16 questions with a request that they at noon to answer until the next day, 12 clock. Was asked about Niersbachs role and complicity in a scandal that is likely to damage the biggest football association of the world more than any other before.
What did Niersbach and DFB via a payment of the German World Cup organizing committee in the amount of 6.7 million euros? About money that has been transferred to a Fifa account in Switzerland in 2005 and from there to the French Robert Louis-Dreyfus? After SPIEGEL information Louis-Dreyfus had lent the German World Cup advertisers nearing decision to award more than 10 million Swiss francs, apparently, so did the Germans money for things that no one should know. The strong smell of vote-buying in the 24-member Executive Committee, which decides on the host country.
24 hours Niersbach therefore had to defuse this bomb, with a simple statement that there must be but when the everything would be a misunderstanding and would SPIEGEL wrong. But the only thing that came out of him and the DFB on Thursday afternoon, was a banal couplets. The time was not enough to express their views on so long past process.
Press release raises yet more questions
But that probably had only one conclusion: There was obviously no easy answers to questions about account numbers, money Transfern and a handwritten note from Niersbach itself from a paper of 2004:. “the fee for RLD” – Robert Louis-Dreyfus
After all, enough time to turn a well-known lawyer press. He should help the DFB peak at a press release that went out on Friday morning at 11 clock, seem to come to the SPIEGEL publication before. Since it was now suddenly that the DFB, reportedly is paying about 6.7 million euros in Switzerland, on the one wanted hardly remember earlier on SPIEGEL inquiry on the day for a long time and burning presence.
For months will investigate whether there were suspicious payments to the German World Cup bid, and look at that: On the 6.7 million it had already encountered some time ago even. Only an explanation you have not it. The official, money for a cultural program of Fifa, was namely probably wrong. But it may be that Niersbach payment so long ago knew, but the mirror opposite even pretended he knew little of which actually speaks in his list of questions? And how can it be that under Niersbach said to be a difficult suspicious process is elucidated in the organizing committee of the World Cup, even though Niersbach itself as Vice had a leading function in the OK?
But many more destroyed the credibility of the President a dilemma from which he does not come out either Niersbach know actually for weeks from these suspicious payments – he must now explain why he has not already informed the public about when he intended to do that, and if he as it Affected the alleged investigation wanted to come at all so far. Or else, the other, more probable variant: There were no months-long investigation, the matter should remain under the ceiling, and only after the SPIEGEL inquiry you had the idea to assert that the matter would be cleared up long ago. In this case, Niersbach had lied to the public.
To whom the 6.7 million euros?
went but that was not anything Niersbachs credibility has almost completely decomposed within three days: It is striking that on Thursday afternoon was missing in the declaration of the DFB: to whom the 6.7 million euros went in the end. No word on Louis-Dreyfus, supposedly the background of the payment in Switzerland was also after weeks of investigation still completely unclear. Nevertheless claiming Niersbach to be able to say with certainty that the money could have been unrelated to a vote-buying for the 2006 World Cup. Motto: We know almost nothing, but what good is that we already know exactly
Then Niersbach silent once, apparently to await what would really stand out in the Spiegel story.. And there was that he must have been by the note “fee for RLD” in his handwriting accomplices camouflaged this 6.7-million payment by the Fifa at French.
“fee for RLD” something he should himself have written? He could not remember, Niersbach said then in an interview with the company’s own press office. That was the next, now certainly worst own goal for the credibility of the president: If he wants to have absolutely sure never knew somewhat in 2005 from the camouflaged payment to Louis-tripod, then he may have reasons of logic also can exclude absolutely that he had referred this clause wrote. But he can not remember if he wrote it? He believes it is possible, and that only because it then the process in 2005 should have been already known.
In his interview on Saturday, Niersbach but trust nevertheless still to say something at the heart of the allegations. No, there was no slush fund the bid committee. Three days Niersbach had shirked a clear statement. But what is already clear? Why Louis-Dreyfus for then was 6.7 million euros on a secret path in 2005, from that World Cup organizing committee, in the Niersbach sat as vice, to Niersbach says nothing.
It’s in a volunteering about that one believes his carrier. Incredibility in volunteering is unworthiness for volunteering. Wolfgang Niersbach has severely damaged their credibility, he is a man who stands for the old forces in football, for those official clique that has the credibility of football sports policy completely ruined. As a man of yesterday Niersbach should also have no future at the head of the DFB. Who needs so much time for good returns, should do something that happens very quickly: resign.
scandal WM-award 2006
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