Case closed against former German FA chief over 2006 World Cup payment

FRANKFURT, Germany - A years-long legal case against former German Football Association (DFB) President Theo Zwanziger over a multi-million euro payment linked to the 2006 World Cup ended on Wednesday in a Frankfurt court.

The case regarding a payment of 6.7 million euros ($7.6 million) made two decades ago tarnished the image of the global showpiece event held in Germany.

The tournament had been nicknamed the summer fairytale because of the home teams run to the semi-finals, and the sold-out stadiums and outdoor viewing areas across the country which attracted hundreds of thousands of fans.

The scandal also dented the reputation of the DFB, the worlds largest single sports federation with more than seven million active members.

Frankfurts regional court on Wednesday closed the case, ordering Zwanziger to pay a 10,000-euro fine and officially discharging him.

This means there will be no verdict and legal proceedings against the former DFB chief are over.

I am happy with the decision and I can now walk with my head held high, Zwanziger told reporters.

At the heart of a case that dragged through the legal system and involved several other separate investigations is a payment of 6.7 million euros linked to a 2006 World Cup-related event that never took place.

Zwanziger, his successor Wolfgang Niersbach, who resigned as DFB president in 2015 as a result of the affair, and former Secretary General Horst Schmidt had all been accused of arranging for incorrect tax returns submitted for 2006 to enable the DFB to avoid paying millions in taxes.

None of the three accused were found guilty, with the cases against Niersbach and Schmidt having been closed earlier.

The tax return included a 6.7 million euro payment from the DFB to world soccers governing body FIFA for the 2006 World Cup, although the funds