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19/10/2015, 18h49
German prosecutors say they are "monitoring" claims of bribery relating to the country's successful bid to host the 2006 World Cup.
Der Spiegel alleges the bid committee of the German Football Association (DFB) bought votes (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/documents-indicate-slush-fund-used-in-german-world-cup-bid-a-1058212.html) using a £4.9m fund.
The DFB denies the allegations.
A spokeswoman for the Frankfurt state prosecutor's office said it had not opened a formal investigation but had "initiated a monitoring process" that would find out if one was required.
German news weekly Der Spiegel says the fund was set up using money loaned by the late former Adidas boss Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
It alleges the funds were later repaid to Dreyfus in 2005 - using Fifa as cover - when the German World Cup organising committee made a contribution of 6.7m euros for a gala opening ceremony at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which was later cancelled.
Der Spiegel also claims 2006 World Cup organising committee president Franz Beckenbauer and current DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach were aware of the fund. Both men have denied the allegations.
Speaking on Monday, Niersbach said: "We entered the competition with legal means and we won it with legal means. There were no slush funds, there was no vote purchase.
Der Spiegel alleges the bid committee of the German Football Association (DFB) bought votes (http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/documents-indicate-slush-fund-used-in-german-world-cup-bid-a-1058212.html) using a £4.9m fund.
The DFB denies the allegations.
A spokeswoman for the Frankfurt state prosecutor's office said it had not opened a formal investigation but had "initiated a monitoring process" that would find out if one was required.
German news weekly Der Spiegel says the fund was set up using money loaned by the late former Adidas boss Robert Louis-Dreyfus.
It alleges the funds were later repaid to Dreyfus in 2005 - using Fifa as cover - when the German World Cup organising committee made a contribution of 6.7m euros for a gala opening ceremony at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which was later cancelled.
Der Spiegel also claims 2006 World Cup organising committee president Franz Beckenbauer and current DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach were aware of the fund. Both men have denied the allegations.
Speaking on Monday, Niersbach said: "We entered the competition with legal means and we won it with legal means. There were no slush funds, there was no vote purchase.