ZURICH: Former German policeman Helmut Spahn has ended a spell in the desert by taking up the post of director of FIFA’s newly-reorganised tournaments and events security subdivision.

Spahn had been working for the Qatar-based International for Sport Security as executive director since 2011. In that role he ‘signed’ Chris Eaton, who had been FIFA’s head of security.

Previously Spahn, while in charge of security at the 2006 World Cup, notably tested the vigilance of his stadia staff by superimposing a picture of his dog on his security pass.

In the close world of security specialists Eaton’s FIFA successor, Ralf Mutschke, had previously worked in senior roles under Spahn in managing team security officers at the 2006 World Cup in Germany and at the Women’s World Cup in 2011.

Mutschke left FIFA last year, one of a swath of appointments undertaken by the presidential regime of now-banned and disgraced Sepp Blatter.

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