Secret paperwork "appears to contradict the assertion of a senior German 2006 World Cup official that no bribes were paid to land the tournament," according to Andrew Warshaw of the London DAILY MAIL. Last month, Fedor Radmann, former vice president of the German organizing committee and right-hand man of Franz Beckenbauer, "rejected claims made by a German magazine that a slush fund was set up to secure the event." Radmann insisted the Germans "bought no vote" and that he was "prepared to say that under oath." A secret memo from June '00 authorized thousands of dollars "to be paid by officials working with Radmann to private accounts linked to four FIFA voters." The correspondence, dated June 6, 2000, was sent by a lawyer of German media company Kirch to then CEO Dieter Hahn, outlining a so-called "consultancy agreement" and making it clear that Radmann was aware of the scheme. The letter "appears to give the green light for payments in return for television rights to specially arranged Bayern friendlies, not just against Malta but three other countries who had voting members: Trinidad’s Jack Warner, Thailand’s Worawi Makudi and Slim Chiboub of Tunisia" (DAILY MAIL, 11/7). In London, Oliver Kay wrote suspended FIFA President Sepp Blatter "is suffering from stress-related symptoms," according to a spokesperson, after the suspended FIFA president was assessed by doctors after a "medical incident." Few details of Blatter’s condition were given, but Klaus Stöhlker, one of his closest aides, said that the 79-year-old was "under a huge pressure" and has been told to rest until next Thursday or Friday while remaining under "medical evaluation." Stöhlker: "He is under tremendous pressure from so many sides and perhaps this is a little bit difficult for a man who is not the youngest." There "were conflicting statements about whether Blatter had been to hospital." Richard Cullen, his lawyer and a former U.S. federal prosecutor, said that his client had been in hospital and "expects to be home shortly," but Stöhlker said Blatter "is not in hospital and has never been in hospital" (LONDON TIMES, 11/7).
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: The PA reported the FA wrote to FIFA demanding answers to "important questions," following Blatter’s revelation that a deal had been fixed to hand Russia the 2018 World Cup before the vote. The FA spent £21M on England’s bid for the tournament but the outgoing president claimed last month that "an agreement had been made by senior figures in the organisation for the event to go to Russia." After Blatter’s revelation, FA Chair Greg Dyke, "immediately instructed the governing body’s lawyers to review its position and the opinion of a senior QC has been sought." As a result, the FA on Friday "sent a series of questions" to FIFA. An FA spokesperson said, "The questions are all based on statements made by Mr. Blatter in the interviews he gave to the Tass news agency and the Financial Times last week" (PA, 11/7).
