By Emily Goddard

Franz Beckenbauer will not attend the Brazil 2014 World Cup ©Getty ImagesFranz Beckenbauer has said he will not travel to Brazil for this year's World Cup after being banned by FIFA yesterday for not cooperating with the probe into alleged corruption in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup votes.

The German, who won the World Cup with West Germany as both a player and a coach, was provisionally banned from any football-related activities for 90 days by the sport's world governing body, meaning he is barred from attending matches in any capacity.

"Franz Beckenbauer cannot participate in any football-related activity which includes amongst other things being invited to attend or attending on a private basis any football match in any capacity," Alan Sullivan, the deputy chairman of FIFA's Ethics Committee's adjudicatory panel, said.

Beckenbauer, who led Germany's organisation of the 2006 World Cup, insisted he had nothing to hide but confirmed that he has called off his plans to attend Brazil 2014.

"I won't be going to Brazil," he told German newspaper Bild.

"I am basing that decision on the fact I will not be welcomed by FIFA."

Franz Beckenbauer was a member of the FIFA Executive Committee that voted to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively ©AFP/Getty ImagesFranz Beckenbauer was a member of the FIFA Executive Committee that voted to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively ©AFP/Getty Images


Beckenbauer is also barred from his duties as Bayern Munich's global ambassador, the team for which he is an honorary President, and as a special advisor to FIFA's Football Committee.

Beckenbauer, who was a member of FIFA's Executive Committee when it awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 edition to Qatar in 2010, received the ban for declining to help with prosecutor Michael Garcia's investigation into the votes.

"The apparent breach relates to Mr Beckenbauer's failure to cooperate with an Ethics Committee investigation despite repeated requests for his assistance, including requests that he provide information during an in-person interview or in response to written questions provided in both English and German," FIFA said in a statement.

The case against Beckenbauer for non-cooperation is now being investigated by Vanessa Allard of Trinidad and Tobago, another member of the ethics panel.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
June 2014: Beckenbauer banned by FIFA for refusal to cooperate with corruption probe
June 2014: Former Oceania football chief denies he blocked Australia 2022 World Cup bid
June 2014: Sheikh Ahmad slams Qatar 2022 corruption allegations as racist
June 2014: IOC to "await outcome" of FIFA inquiry before investigating Olympic officials
June 2014: Ethics Committee probe into Qatar 2022 World Cup bid to end next week