SHARE
COPY LINK

FIFA

Greek steps up at Swiss-based UEFA

UEFA on Friday named Theodore Theodoridis as interim general secretary but insisted no decision on whether to replace Michel Platini as president would be taken until his appeals are finished.

Greek steps up at Swiss-based UEFA
Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

Greek administrator Theodoridis moves up from deputy secretary general in place of Gianni Infantino who was elected as president of world body Fifa on Friday.
   
But with world football stuck in a corruption turmoil, Theodoridis cannot take over the key post at the most powerful continental confederation until Platini's future is decided.
   
The French football legend is currently hit by a six year ban over a suspect $2 million payment from former Fifa boss Sepp Blatter and so cannot take any UEFA decisions.
   
But if he wins an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Platini could return to decide who he wants as his right-hand man.
   
Germany's federation chief this week called on Platini to resign. But the UEFA executive decided at its meeting on Friday to keep faith with the Frenchman.
   
“The UEFA executive Committee reconfirmed its decision of January that no UEFA presidential elections will be scheduled until a decision has been made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Michel Platini's appeal,” said a statement.
   
Theodoridis told a press conference the committee had decided “unanimously” to wait for the CAS verdict.
   
Platini made a formal appeal to CAS, which is based in Lausanne, this week.
   
The tribunal has said it is aiming to have a verdict before the European Championships start in France on June 10th.
   
Platini, who has denied any wrongdoing over the payment, is desperate to keep his post at UEFA and be at the tournament in his home country.
   
Theodoridis, 50, joined UEFA in 2008 and has been in charge of relations with the European national associations.
   
If Platini is forced to leave UEFA, the next president could choose a different general secretary.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

FOOTBALL

Trial over 2006 German World Cup corruption opens in Switzerland

Three former German football officials and ex-FIFA Secretary General Urs Linsi went on trial on Monday in Switzerland over suspicions that Germany bought votes to obtain the 2006 World Cup.

Trial over 2006 German World Cup corruption opens in Switzerland
Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

The three defendants have indicated that they will not be present at the hearing in Bellinzona for a variety of reasons, including fear of travelling because of coronavirus contagion.

Swiss Linsi, 70, former German Football Association (DFB) presidents Wolfgang Niersbach, 69, and Theo Zwanziger, 74, and 78-year-old former DFB General Secretary Horst R. Schmidt are being prosecuted for “fraud”.

They are accused by the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office (BA) of concealing from the DFB the true destination of a transfer of 6.7 million euros ($7.6 million today), paid in 2005 by the organising committee to former Adidas boss, the late Robert Louis-Dreyfus, via FIFA.

The case of former World Cup organising committee chairman Franz Beckenbauer is being heard separately because of the former Germany captain's poor health.

The investigation was prompted by a report in German publication Der Spiegel in 2015 that Germany had used a secret fund of 10 million Swiss francs (6.7 million euros at the time) to buy votes and obtain the rights to host the competition at the expense of South Africa.

Beckenbauer is suspected of having asked Louis-Dreyfus, to contribute to this fund shortly before the vote on the host in the summer of 2000.

Louis-Dreyfus was allegedly reimbursed by the German Football Association on the pretext of expenses related to a FIFA gala evening, which ever took place.

Zwanziger, Niersbach and Schmidt have also been charged with tax fraud in Germany and the case is expected to come to trial in the coming months. cpb/pb/td

SHOW COMMENTS