German Football Association (DFB) investigating FIFA payment

The German Football Association (DFB) is investigating whether a €6.7million payment made to FIFA in 2005 was mis-used.

The issue came to light as part of an internal audit carried out by the DFB into the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.

“Because of the investigations related to FIFA and because of ongoing suspicions in the media, the DFB has internally investigated the assignment of World Cup 2006,” the DFB said in a statement.

“Within the framework of these investigations the DFB found no indication of wrongdoing, while there was equally no sign whatsoever that votes of delegates had been bought.

“During the investigation, the DFB found suggestions that a payment of €6.7million that was made by the organising committee to FIFA in 2005 might not have been used for the declared purposes (FIFA cultural programme).

“This payment was in no way related to the assignment of the World Cup that had been made five years before.

“This caused an internal investigation which was ordered by the DFB president [Wolfgang Niersbach] this summer.

“With help of external judicative advisors it is under investigation whether the DFB has the right to demand the money back.

“There is no final result, the investigation is still ongoing.”