this Monday starts the Federal criminal court in Bellinzona of the process in the so-called summer fairy. It is the first major event of the soccer complex, and one of the most important processes for the office of the attorney General for years. Everything you need to know:

What is it about the summer fairy tale case?

At its core, it comes to opaque payments between the German football"Kaiser" Franz Beckenbauer, and the mighty Qatari official and former Fifa Vice President Mohammed bin Hammam. 2002 transferred Beckenbauer ten million francs to the Katari. The money he borrowed during the late Adidas owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus. As of this wanted his money back, jumped in, the German Football Association (DFB). Via the intermediate station, Fifa in Switzerland, the DFB has transferred the 10 million in April 2005, back to Louis-Dreyfus.

there is some other explanation for the payments?

There are various theories. The most harmless stating that it was a fee for TV rights. The Prosecutor but, rather, that it Beckenbauer in 2002, wanted to provide a financial courtesy to bin Hammam. In return – according to this reading – the Fifa backed the organising Committee of the soccer world Cup in Germany in 2006, a grant of 250 million Swiss francs. You have to understand that bin Hammam was a Fifa Vice, but also the head of the financial Commission. Even more captiously the theory is that the 10 million to bin Hammam were designed to secure the re-election of then-Fifa President Sepp Blatter to – or that they were subsequent kickbacks for the choice of Germany as a world Cup host country. Therefore, the Name of the Case: because the 2006 world Cup in Germany, often as a summer fairy-tale.

Whom has accused the Federal Prosecutor's office now, and for what actions?

in court, three former officials of the DFB, Horst Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, as well as the former General Secretary of Fifa, Urs Linsi are accused of. You the office of the attorney General complicity accuses of fraud, respectively, complicity to it. This is because you would have made under false pretenses for the DFB in 2005, paid the 10-million loan, the, Robert Louis-Dreyfuss had granted three years before, Beckenbauer. With Fifa as intermediate station, to cover your tracks. The original payments from Beckenbauer to bin Hammam of 2002 are not part of the indictment. They are time-barred.

It is one of the most prestigious cases, which the office of the attorney General since 2015 has started.

Why are the main people of Beckenbauer and bin Hammam is not before the court?

The Federal Prosecutor's office determined actually against Franz Beckenbauer. Because of this, however, made early on that his poor state of health claims, from separating the investigators his part from the main method. Beckenbauer has nothing more to fear, because the case is time-barred at the end of April 2020 final. Against bin Hammam, the reveal beneficiaries of the payments, has determined the Federal Prosecutor in this case never.

of the process takes Place at all?

The court has refused to postpone the hearing due to the Coronavirus. Viewers but because of the disease no access. Media representatives can follow the action via the video link in an adjacent room. The courthouse may only be entered, who has to have a Check at the entrance, no increased body temperature.

Will appear to the accused?

So it looks like at the Moment, the three German defendants – Schmidt, Zwanziger and Niersbach – the process remotely. You, between 69 and 78 years old, and health reasons. Only the Swiss Linsi will probably appear in Bellinzona.

What are the surveys, plans the court?

On Thursday and Friday of the first process week, the court plans a survey of prominent football officials: Sepp Blatter and Franz Beckenbauer as the respondents, as well as Günter Netzer as a witness. Respondents to the accused, depending on the course of the proceedings.

Why the procedure is important?

The "summer fairy tale" -method is one of the most prestigious football cases initiated by the U.S. attorney's office since 2015. The absence of the main actors Beckenbauer and bin Hammam, as well as the impending Statute of limitations have brought in the investigators already have some criticism. Because of the Secret Meetings of Federal Prosecutor Michael Lauber and Fifa Boss Gianni Infantino, the football investigations are already in severe turbulence. A Failure of the indictment in the summer of fairy-tale case, would make the extensive investigations around the Fifa now final for the fiasco.

Created: 09.03.2020, 06:09 PM