Monday 26 October 2015 19:00, UK
Franz Beckenbauer has claimed it was his mistake to make a payment to FIFA in return for a financial grant to Germany's 2006 World Cup organising committee.
In a brief statement issued to German media on Monday afternoon, the former Bayern Munich player and manager gave little detail on a case which has shaken football in his homeland.
Beckenbauer said: "In order to get a subsidy from FIFA, those involved went ahead with a proposal from the FIFA finance commission that in today's eyes should have been rejected.
"I, as president of the then organising committee, bear the responsibility of this mistake. There were no votes bought in order to get the nod for the 2006 World Cup,"
It is understood Beckenbauer went to Zurich in January 2002 to meet FIFA president Sepp Blatter and present him with around £5m.
In return, FIFA gave Germany 2006 a grant of about £167m which was used to cover the costs of hosting the tournament.
Beckenbauer, 70, has reiterated his denial from last week that votes were bought before Germany won the bid to stage the World Cup.
It has been alleged by the newspaper Der Spiegel a slush fund was used to purchase votes of four Asian Executive Committee members in order to win the right to host the finals nine years ago.
The German FA has responded to those claims by dismissing them as groundless and backing its president, Wolfgang Niersbach, after he was accused of knowing about the fund.
Niersbach, who was vice president of the 2006 World Cup organising committee, has acknowledged there are unanswered questions surrounding the payment Beckenbauer is now taking responsibility for.
He also said the money was demanded by FIFA's finance committee in order to pay out the contribution towards the Germans' organisational budget and that he did not know why a small sum was needed to release a larger one.
Niersbach has been invited to appear before Germany's parliamentary committee on sports on November 4 but has yet to say whether he will go.
FIFA are currently investigating Beckenbauer after he refused to cooperate with the investigations into the bidding processes for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
