Introduction to the Case
The Frankfurter regional court decided on Wednesday that the German Football Association (DFB) had to pay a fine of € 130,000 for the misconduct of its former top officials. 20,000 € of this was dispensed with due to "proceedings delays" in this case.
Accusations and Demands
The public prosecutor had accused the DFB of avoiding taxes of around 2.7 million euros and demanded that the FA pay a fine of € 270,000. The defense rejected the indictment for intentional tax evasion and called for an acquittal.
Proceedings Against Former Officials
Of the three originally mentioned defendants, none remained in the dock at the end of the 33-day attempt. The proceedings against two former DFB presidents, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, as well as the Vice President of the Organizational Committee for the 2006 World Cup, Horst R. Schmidt, was previously dropped in return for the payment of fines. Zwanziger paid € 10,000, Niersbach € 25,000, and Schmidt € 65,000.
Allegations of Incorrect Tax Return
Zwanziger, his successor Wolfgang Niersbach, who had resigned as a DFB President as a result of the matter in 2015, and Schmidt, who is also a former Secretary General of DFB, had accused everyone of being accused of an incorrect tax return submitted for 2006 to avoid taxes.
Slush Find for the 2006 World Cup
The tax return included a payment of EUR 6.7 million from the DFB to the global FIFA of football. The DFB claimed that the money was to pay a World Cup gala – an event that never took place. Payment triggered an investigation into allegations used as Slush funds to buy votes for Germany’s offer for the 2006 tournament.
Investigation and Tax Office Order
A DFB-searched investigation from 2016 showed that the sum was the return of a loan via the FIFA of the former Adidas boss Robert Louis-Dreyfus. The German tax office ordered the DFB in 2017 to pay more than 20 million euros in taxes in connection with 2006.
The 2006 World Cup Legacy
The 2006 World Cup is popularly known in Germany as "summer fairy tale" because the home team run in the semi-finals and the sold-out stadiums and outdoor areas across the country were sold out in which hundreds of thousands of fans were attributed. The tournament had a lasting impact on Germany, changing the country’s perception of itself and its place in the world. The success of the tournament also led to an increase in popularity of football in Germany, with many young players inspired by the team’s performance.
