The controversy over Qatar's win for the rights to host the 2022 World Cup has cost a football legend. German football icon Franz Beckenbauer is reportedly banned by the world soccer organization from all football-related activities for failing to cooperate with an ongoing investigation into Qatar's winning bid for the 2022 World Cup hosting rights. According to FIFA, the 90-day provisional ban was upon the request of ethics prosecutor Michael Garcia, who is also chief investigator of the Qatar probe.
Beckenbauer, who was a voting member of the executive committee of FIFA in December, which declared Qatar and Russia as host of the tournament in 2018 and 2022.
FIFA said in a statement, "The apparent breach relates to Mr Beckenbauer's failure to cooperate with an Ethics Committee investigation despite repeated requests for his assistance. The case is now the subject of formal investigation proceedings being conducted by investigatory chamber member Vanessa Allard as chief of the investigation."
The ban might have been spurred last week, when he said that he declined Garcia's attempts twice to speak with him, no doubt about the controversial vote the executive committee he was part of made regarding Qatar and Russia hosting the World Cup tournament. Qatar has been plagued with corruption allegations by Qatari officials, while Russia itself has been struggling financially, more so when it played host to this year's Olympic Winter Games.
Beckenbauer aside from his duties as an adviser to FIFA's football committee, the German football legend is also a global ambassador for German champion Bayern Munich.
Beckenbauer cemented his legend status when he won the World Cup in 1974 as a captain to his team and as a coach in 1990. He was also named by FIFA as one of the Top 125 greatest living footballers as part of the world soccer league's centennial celebration, BBC News said.
There is no word yet on whether Beckenbauer has commented on the provisional ban by FIFA.
