Former Germany defender Franz Beckenbauer has denied reports he was aware of a slush fund allegedly used to secure the World Cup in 2006.
Franz Beckenbauer has denied allegations that the bid committee he headed up to bring the 2006 World Cup to Germany used bribery to secure the hosting rights to the tournament.
A report in German publication Der Spiegel on Friday claimed a slush fund provided by the late Adidas chief Robert Louis-Dreyfus worth almost $6 million had been established by the committee and was intended to secure votes in its favor.
Both the German Football Federation (DFB) and its president Wolfgang Niersbach have denied the allegations, with Niersbach reported to have been aware of the fund during the bidding process, along with former Germany defender Beckenbauer.