Former DFB president Theo Zwanziger has won the libel case brought against him by Qatar and its Football Association following a hearing at a Dusseldorf regional court.
Zwanziger, 70, has been critical of the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to the Gulf state, and has repeatedly said that Qatar was "a cancer on world football."
The Gulf state described Zwanziger's words as "unacceptable" and sued him for libel in June 2015.
The civil case between Zwanziger -- a former member of the FIFA executive committee -- and Qatar was heard before the court in February before the judgement was passed on Tuesday, when the case was dismissed on the grounds that the statement was covered by freedom of expression.