Tough task facing Curtius as new general secretary of crisis-hit DFB
FRANKFURT: Friedrich Curtius has been appointed new general secretary of the German football federation with a priority challenge to steady the ship after a string of upheavals.
The 39-year-old lawyer was the unanimous choice of DFB members and will replace Helmut Sandrock, who resigned last month ahead of the publication of the Freshfields report into the 2006 World Cup cash controversy.
Sandrock is among six senior former DFB officials who were notified yesterday that they face FIFA ethics proceedings over the scandal. The others were Franz Beckenbauer, former presidents Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, ex-general secretary Horst R Schmidt and former chief financial officer Stefan Hans.
Formal appointment
Curtius, who has worked for the DFB since joining the governing body following his law studies in 2006, will be officially sworn in to his new post at an extraordinary meeting of the DFB board in Frankfurt on April 15.
As office manager in the DFB’s general secretariat, Curtius has helped establish the organisation’s sports policies whilst cooperating with UEFA, FIFA and other national associations.
Treasurer Reinhard Grindel – who is expected to become new president in succession to Wolfgang Niersbach – said of Curtius: “Through his legal training, he brings another requirement for the management of the central administration, and he also has excellent international contacts with Uefa and Fifa.
“With Dr Friedrich Curtius as secretary general, we have an excellent person at the head of the central administration.”
Another immediate challenge for Curtius is an inquiry by Germany’s federal cartel office into the DFB’s restricted policy over the sale of tickets for the national team’s matches at Euro 2016.
To even apply, German fans must first be members of the official fan club at an extra cost of €40, comprising €10 sign-up cost and a €30 annual fee.
“Acquiring Euro 2016 tickets is already difficult for football fans as not everyone requesting a ticket gets one,” cartel office president Andreas Mundt said in a statement on Tuesday.
“If you couple the possibility of acquiring a ticket with paid fan club membership then not only is the price is increased but in case of not being awarded a ticket one still has to pay the membership fee.”
Germany have been drawn in Group C along with Ukraine, Northern Ireland and Poland in the tournament in France starting on June 10.
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