Summer fairytale affair: Zwanziger expects acquittal
Former DFB President Theo Zwanziger is confident of victory ahead of the retrial of the summer fairytale affair. "The accusation is nonsensical. We behaved correctly, there was never a summer fairytale scandal," the 78-year-old told the "Rhein-Zeitung" (Saturday).
16 trial days have been scheduled for the proceedings against former leading DFB officials at the Frankfurt Regional Court. This is according to a press release issued by the authorities on Monday. The former presidents of the German Football Association, Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, as well as the former General Secretary Horst R. Schmidt are accused of tax evasion. "The regional court will not allow itself to bend the law, but will observe the law," said Zwanziger confidently.
The trial will begin on March 4 next year. The last day of the trial would be July 11. This means that the proceedings will take place in the middle of the home European Championship (June 14 to July 14).
In May, the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court restarted the proceedings against the trio, which had previously been discontinued by the regional court at the end of October 2022. At the time, the Higher Regional Court announced that the regional court's discontinuation order had been revoked and the proceedings were to be continued.
This means that, as things stand at present, there will be legal repercussions before a German court after all in the meagre investigation into the events to date. Zwanziger, Niersbach and Schmidt have always denied all allegations.
At the heart of the matter was a payment of 6.7 million euros made by the DFB via the world association FIFA to the now deceased entrepreneur Robert Louis-Dreyfus. The money was declared as a contribution to a gala for the 2006 World Cup, which never took place. In 2002, Franz Beckenbauer had received a loan of the same amount from Louis-Dreyfus in his function as head of World Cup organization, which ultimately disappeared into the accounts of the former FIFA financial functionary Mohamed bin Hammam.
- Despite the upcoming retrial for tax evasion charges during the 2006 World Cup, former DFB President Theo Zwanziger remains hopeful, asserting that the accusations are baseless and the behavior of the DFB officials was above reproach.
- As the trial for the Summer fairytale affair convenes at the Frankfurt Regional Court on March 4, 2023, Schwabisch Hall natives Zwanziger, Niersbach, and Schmidt will face allegations related to the controversial payment of €6.7 million to Robert Louis-Dreyfus, which was disguised as a contribution for a non-existent gala event.
- Despite the ongoing investigation and impending trial, the German Football Association (DFB) and its former leaders will continue to participate in major international tournaments, such as the home European Championship (June 14 to July 14), ensuring that the world of soccer and crime processes continue to intertwine on the global stage.
Source: www.dpa.com
