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Franz Beckenbauer under investigation by FIFA ethics committee

Franz Beckenbauer is one of only two men to have won the World Cup as a player and a manger - the other is Brazil's Mario Zagallo
Franz Beckenbauer is one of only two men to have won the World Cup as a player and a manger - the other is Brazil's Mario Zagallo

FIFA has confirmed German World Cup winner Franz Beckenbauer and vice president Angel Maria Villar Llona are both subject to investigations by the organisation's ethics committee.

Beckenbauer was a FIFA voter when Russia and Qatar were chosen to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively, while Villar Llona has sat on FIFA's executive committee since 1998.

The investigations into both men have been completed and are now awaiting verdict.

A FIFA statement read: "Proceedings relating to the two officials Angel Maria Villar Llona and Franz Beckenbauer have already been passed on to the adjudicatory chamber."

Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup with West Germany as a player in 1974 and manager in 1990, and Villar Llona are two of 11 names revealed to be under investigation by FIFA.

The list includes departing president Sepp Blatter, secretary general Jerome Valcke and UEFA president Michel Platini. All three were handed provisional 90-day suspensions two weeks ago.

The other six officials identified are Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz.

Beckenbauer and Villar Llona had not been publicly named before but a change in the ruling on Tuesday means FIFA's ethics committee can now release details of ongoing investigations.

Beckenbauer headed the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup and was forced to reject allegations on Sunday that Germany had bought votes to host the tournament.

He was also suspended last year for initially refusing to assist the investigation led by FIFA prosecutor Michael Garcia into the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 competitions.

Villar Llona is president of the Spanish football federation and acting head of UEFA in the absence of Platini. He also replaced the Frenchman as interim chairman of the 2018 World Cup organising committee.

FIFA's statement did not include details of the charges Beckenbauer and Villar Llona face.

The pair's involvement piles more pressure on FIFA, which had to confirm on Tuesday its presidential election will go ahead on 26 February, despite provisional bans handed to Blatter and Platini.

Platini and Blatter are being investigated over a payment Platini received from Blatter in 2011, which they say related to consultancy work Platini completed nine years earlier. They deny any wrongdoing.

Platini has submitted his candidacy to become FIFA president ahead of Monday's deadline but the former European Player of the Year will not be allowed to stand while his suspension remains in force.

If the ban is lifted before February's vote, however, the Frenchman's candidacy will be reconsidered and FIFA said it will aim to deliver a verdict within the 90-day period.

FIFA statement: 

"The investigatory chamber of the independent Ethics Committee has confirmed that proceedings are ongoing against FIFA president Joseph Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini, both of whom are currently provisionally suspended. The investigation is focusing on a payment of CHF 2 million from FIFA to Michel Platini in February 2011.

"The investigatory chamber will do everything in its power to ensure that a decision can be taken by the adjudicatory chamber of the Ethics Committee, chaired by Hans-Joachim Eckert, within the 90-day suspension period (which began on 8 October 2015) of the two football officials.

"The investigatory chamber also confirms the ongoing proceedings against suspended FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke related to the suspicion of misuse of expenses and other infringements of FIFA's rules and regulations.

"Formal investigation proceedings relating to the suspicion of infringements of the FIFA code of ethics are amongst others ongoing against Worawi Makudi, Jeffrey Webb, Ricardo Teixeira, Amos Adamu, Eugenio Figueredo and Nicolas Leoz. Proceedings relating to the two officials Angel Maria Villar Llona and Franz Beckenbauer have already been passed on to the adjudicatory chamber. For procedural reasons, no further names of other parties affected by the proceedings are currently being disclosed.”

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