Swiss police raid homes as part of probe into World Cup in GermanyNovember 30, 2016 - 18:13 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Swiss police raided homes last week as part of a broadening probe into corruption allegations over the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany, prosecutors said Wednesday, November 30, AFP reports. The investigation targeting members of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, including German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, has been expanded to include Urs Linsi, the former General Secretary of world football's governing body FIFA, the office of Switzerland's Attorney General said in a statement sent to AFP. Switzerland's top prosecution authority said "that on 23 November 2016 it conducted house searches with the support of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) at various locations in the German-speaking part of Switzerland." The searches were carried out in connection with a probe launched last year into allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation connected with the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany. The investigation, opened in November 2015, initially targeted Beckenbauer, who headed the committee promoting Germany's candidacy to host the 2006 World Cup, along with organising committee members Hans-Rudolf Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach. The attorney general's office said Wednesday that "a further suspect is Urs Linsi," who was FIFA secretary general from June 1999 through June 2007. It added that "the measures carried out on 23 November 2016 relate to Urs Linsi," who until last week was serving as president of a small Zurich bank. The statement said the house searches were linked to "a payment of 6.7 million euros ($7.1 million) made in April 2005 by the German Football Association (Deutscher Fussball-Bund, DFB) to Robert Louis-Dreyfus." It did not explain further, but the late Louis-Dreyfus, an ex-boss of Adidas, has been accused in media reports of lending the same amount to DFB to help it set up a secret fund to buy votes in support if its bid to host the 2006 World Cup. Related links: Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. Armenia, Russia discuss life extension of Metsamor nuclear plant Issues regarding the extension of life of the 2nd power unit of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant were discussed in Yerevan. Armenians stage more campaigns against territorial concessions to Azerbaijan Protesters blocked more roads across Armenia on Friday, April 26 in continuing attempts to scuttle territorial concessions to Azerbaijan. |