FIFA bans Beckenbauer for not cooperating with corruption probe

Former Germany great Franz Beckenbauer was banned from all football activities for 90 days by FIFA on Friday for not cooperating with an investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid. FIFA said the suspension was requested by ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia, making Beckenbauer the first person to be punished as a result of the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bid contests. Beckenbauer refused “repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German,” FIFA said in a statement. [caption id=“attachment_1569801” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  It was unclear whether the FIFA suspension would prevent Beckenbauer — who won the World Cup as both a player and coach — from attending the tournament in Brazil. Getty Images[/caption] It was unclear whether the FIFA suspension would prevent Beckenbauer — who won the World Cup as both a player and coach — from attending the tournament in Brazil. Beckenbauer was a voting member of FIFA’s executive committee in December 2010 when it chose Qatar, and Russia as 2018 World Cup host. He said last week that he rejected two attempts by Garcia to speak with him. The former U.S. Attorney has said he will deliver a dossier on the case next month. Beckenbauer still holds top-level positions in world football. He served on FIFA’s board from 2007-11 after leading organization of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He is an adviser to FIFA’s football committee and a global ambassador for German champion Bayern Munich. Beckenbauer was named in reports this past weekend by The Sunday Times, which has alleged widespread corruption linked to Qatari official Mohamed bin Hammam and the 2022 bidding campaign. The newspaper said Beckenbauer took paid consultancies in 2011 with German firms seeking contracts for World Cup related projects in the gas-rich emirate. Like most FIFA board members, Beckenbauer has not publicly revealed who he voted for. FIFA President Sepp Blatter has previously said German and French business and political interests influenced the FIFA vote. FIFA said its independent ethics judge, Munich-based Joachim Eckert, was not involved in the decision to suspend Beckenbauer. AP