Police conduct raids in Germany to investigate possible corruption at Euro 2024

BERLIN (AP) — Police in Germany conducted raids in relation to suspected corruption at the 2024 European Championship on Wednesday.

The headquarters of the German soccer federation (DFB) was among the premises searched, the Bild tabloid reported, saying tournament organizer Euro 2024 GmbH, a joint venture between the DFB and UEFA, was being investigated.

“The investigations concern alleged unauthorized favors including attendance to a football game among others that an accused individual, who was working for a host city at the time, is said to have received from officials of the organizing entity,” the Bochum Public Prosecutor’s Office and North Rhine-Westphalia State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA NRW) said in a joint statement.

“Officials from the organizing entity seemingly offered host cities exclusive rights of first refusal for tickets. The host cities exercised some of these rights and used the tickets in various ways.”

Bild reported the morning raids involving more than 150 officers stem from investigations into suspected bribery against a 66-year-old German national and 46-year-old French national, and “several thousand tickets may have been illegally allocated internally to preferred guests” at Euro 2024.

City halls and municipal administrations in host cities were also being inspected, Bild reported.

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“The accused have not yet had the opportunity to comment on the allegations. The presumption of innocence applies,” prosecutors said. ___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer