Report finds no evidence of vote-rigging in awarding of 2006 World Cup to Germany

An international law firm has found no evidence of vote-rigging in the awarding of the 2006 World Cup to Germany.

However, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer said vote-rigging could not be ruled out completely in their 380-page report, which was commissioned by the German Football Association.

"We have no proof of vote buying," said Christian Duve of Freshfields.

But Duve added his firm could not rule it out having been unable to speak to everyone involved, including former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who refused to give evidence, with his solicitor using his FIFA suspension as a motive to decline.

Former FIFA executive committee members were among a "group of people who we would have liked to have spoken to, but who were unavailable for comment," said the report.

Robert Louis-Dreyfus, the former chief executive of sportswear manufacturer Adidas, and Robert Schwan, whose accounts were involved in the flow of money, have since passed away, as has the former DFB president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.

"As a result of these restrictions, we cannot today provide a conclusive picture," said the report.

The affair was triggered by a suspect payment of €6.7m from the German FA (DFB) to FIFA back in 2005.

The DFB had said it was a return of a loan from Louis-Dreyfus, while Der Spiegel magazine said it was allegedly used to buy votes.

Duve said the €6.7m payment from the DFB had indeed been transferred to FIFA in 2005 but was not intended for the opening ceremony gala as was indicated in documents.

"It was immediately transferred on to an account of Louis-Dreyfus," Duve said.

Adidas, a long-time DFB sponsor, has said it was unaware of any such payment.

The report also identified a payment from then World Cup 2006 organising chief Franz Beckenbauer via a Swiss bank account to scaffolding company Kemco in Qatar, the owner of which was disgraced former FIFA official Mohammed Bin Hammam.

"They landed somewhere in Qatar, this is under the influence of Bin Hammam. But anything beyond that is speculation. We had the task of presenting the facts," said Duve, who added that some documents were missing from the DFB headquarters.

"You could connect the payment with the FIFA re-election of Blatter or for the 2006 vote but that would be pure speculation."

Beckenbauer has admitted making mistakes but has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 

FIFA released a statement in which it promised to "review the report carefully and factor the findings into its ongoing internal investigation of this matter," welcoming the Freshfields report's findings.

"FIFA shared information with the DFB to assist with its investigation and, in turn, received information from the DFB that is helpful to FIFA's own investigation," continued FIFA's statement.

"However, many questions still remain to be answered. FIFA's investigation has been hampered by the fact that key witnesses were not willing to answer questions or provide documents.

"FIFA maintains its victim status in all investigations and continues to co-operate with the Swiss and German authorities, who are in the best position to obtain all of the information necessary to understanding the facts of this matter."

DFB interim president Rainer Koch said there was a "complete failure of mechanisms at the DFB which cannot happen again".

He also blamed former DFB chief Wolfgang Niersbach, who resigned last year over the affair and faces a tax evasion probe, for stopping information going to the DFB.