Jack Warner denies involvement in 2006 World Cup scandal

Former CONCACAF President Jack Warner denied an agreement to assist Germany winning the World Cup hosting rights in 2006.

"Suffice it to say... I have never ever had any agreement of any kind with anyone on Germany's hosting of the 2006 World Cup," Warner wrote in an email to German news organization "Sport1" on Wednesday.

The German football association (DFB) confirmed Tuesday there was a contractual agreement to provide "various services" to Warner and CONCACAF. The document had the signature of Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer, as well as the signature of Warner himself.

Warner was one of 14 football officials and sports marketing executives indicted in the United States on bribery, money laundering and wire fraud charges. FIFA, football's governing body, banned Warner for life at the end of September.

Beckenbauer remaining quiet

The former Bayern Munich, Hamburger SV and New York Cosmos defender is staying quiet, his management announcing Wednesday he will not respond to the new bribery allegations and he is co-operating with investigators.

"Franz Beckenbauer continues to be available for the relevant bodies and will therefore not make any public statements," his management said in a statement.

Lawyers from the multinational law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer interviewed the 70-year-old Beckenbauer at the end of October while investigating a 6.7 million euro payment from the DFB to FIFA in connection with the 2006 World Cup hosting rights. Beckenbauer was the bid and organizing chief chief during Germany's bid attempt in 2000.

Former Bayern teammate and colleague Karl-Heinz Rummenigge came to Beckenbauer's side on Wednesday, hoping his friend does not get hit too hard from the DFB. The two were teammates from 1974-1977 with Bayern before working together in the club's management in the 1990s and 2000s.

"You must support a friend in difficult times. I understand that the DFB has a big interest to clear up this issue. But I would wish for a more sensitive treatment of the person Franz Beckenbauer because I believe that the DFB owes this person quite a lot," Rummenigge said.

Rummenigge also refuted allegations Bayern agreed to play friendlies in Malta, Thailand and Tunisia in unfavourable financial conditions, inisting the club received its usual standard fees for the games in the countries of World Cup voting FIFA executives.

dv / (dpa)