FRANKFURT: Germany’s football federation will maintain its bid to win host rights to the 2024 European Championship despite the furore over how the DFB landed the 2006 World Cup finals writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Questions continue to be asked about the 2006 bidding process, with the latest headlines concerning €3m payments made to consultant Fedor Radmann, a close friend and associate of compromised organising president Franz Beckenbauer.

Germany’s intention to pursue the expanded Euro finals in 2024 was set out first by former DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach three years ago when potential hosts began looking beyond the cross-continent finals in 2020.

Niersbach, who had switched from chief executive to become DFB president in 2012, said at the time: “Eighteen years after an outstanding World Cup the time will be ripe for another summer extravaganza.”

He told the then European federation president Michel Platini: “We know that arrangements about the tournament have yet to be approved but UEFA should know, from very early, that it can count on us.”

Germany’s bidding credibility was damaged subsequently by the scandal over hidden payments in obtaining the 2006 World Cup which led to FIFA ethics action against senior organising figures. These included Niersbach, a member of the FIFA Council and UEFA executive committee, who was suspended from the game for a year.

Ethics appointment

In the meantime politician Reinhard Grindel has been elected as president of the DFB and he reiterated Germany’s 2024 ambitions after being formally confirmed in his role.

Grindel is undertaking an internal reorganisation which has included the appointment of former spy chief Klaus Kinkel as ethics head.

Kinkel has been appointed as the head of a five-member DFB ethics committee charged with investigating any allegations of ‘illegal or unethical’ activities.

The 80-year-old served as the head of West Germany’s intelligence agency from 1978-82 and became the justice minister of the reunified Germany in 1991. He also served as foreign minister from 1992 to 1998.

Grindel said: “The establishment of the ‘New DFB’ is a central future project for the association, and I will do my utmost to ensure that Germany wins Euro 2024 hosting rights.”

The DFB, with six million members, claims to be the largest single sports federation in the world.

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