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Voting FIFA member Franz Beckenbauer suspended for stonewalling Qatar inquiry

SeppBlatterFIFAExecutiveCommitteeMeeting2 (FIFA)

By CAITLIN MURRAY

A FIFA member who voted in the process that resulted in a 2022 World Cup in Qatar has been suspended for refusing to cooperate with an investigation into bribery.

German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer has been banned from participating in any soccer-related activity for 90 days, FIFA announced Friday. Beckenbauer refused to cooperate with FIFA ethics investigators despite “repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German.”

Alan Sullivan, deputy chairman of the deciding arm of FIFA’s ethics Committee handed down the ban at the request of Michael J. Garcia, chairman of the investigatory chamber.

Beckenbauer was a voting member of FIFA’s executive committee in December 2010 when it chose Qatar along with Russia as 2018 World Cup host. He left the FIFA executive committee in 2011 but has remained on their football committee.

What do you think of this report? Is the 90-day suspension the right punishment? Should Franz Beckenbauer be forced to comply with FIFA’s requests?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I always like to see all the facts laid out on the table before I jump to conclusions, but the fact that he refused to even discuss it, not just refused to answer some questions is about as big a sign that something sinister happened as there could be.

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  2. FIFA is the most corrupt business there is. Beckenbauer is an a-hole. Just ask Klinsy. I’m sure he took a bribe(s) and yes, he should be forced to answer the questions and cooperate. If Qatar ends up actually hosting the World Cup, after all the dirt that will continue to come out and proven truthful, I’ll eat my hat!

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  3. A nice setup to sending someone’s political enemy in Qatar a nominal fee as a refund of a bribe, and then moving the WC to a neutral country like Switzerland.

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  4. There were rumors about his involvement a few months ago. This doesn’t look good on him at all. He’s obviously hiding something. Yes I’m jumping to conclusions.

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  5. So…. refusing to cooperate with an investigation gets you a 3 month vacation…. that happens to coincide with World Cup and summertime holiday??? I’m sure he’s devastated by this development.

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  6. That’s not just any member. That’s der Kaiser. The layers of intrigue here are fascinating. For instance, who is behind the recent leaks t the Times? Maybe Sepp Blatter with the aim of ending Platini as a rival?

    Reply

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