Editing Franz Beckenbauer (section)

===FIFA inquiries and ban===
[[file:Franz Beckenbauer y Hermes Navarro.JPG|thumb|Beckenbauer (second from left) in 2007]]

In June 2014, Beckenbauer was banned by [[FIFA Ethics Committee]] for 90 days from any football-related activity for allegedly refusing to cooperate with an inquiry into corruption dealing with the allocation of the [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]] and [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022 World Cups]] to Russia and Qatar.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/franz-beckenbauer-provisionally-banned-for-90-days-by-fifa-1.1831771 |title=Franz Beckenbauer provisionally banned for 90 days by Fifa |date=13 June 2014 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=28 April 2016 |archive-date=1 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601185913/https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/international/franz-beckenbauer-provisionally-banned-for-90-days-by-fifa-1.1831771 |url-status=live }}</ref> He protested the ban, as he had requested the questions that were put to him be in German and in writing. The ban was lifted after Beckenbauer agreed to participate in FIFA's inquiry.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/27/franz-beckenbauer-fifa-ban-lifted-2018-2022-world-cup-inquiry | title = Franz Beckenbauer's ban lifted after agreeing to take part in Fifa inquiry | newspaper = The Guardian | date = 27 June 2014 | access-date = 14 July 2014 | archive-date = 13 July 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140713110932/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/27/franz-beckenbauer-fifa-ban-lifted-2018-2022-world-cup-inquiry | url-status = live }}</ref> In February 2016, Beckenbauer was fined CHF 7,000 and warned by FIFA Ethics Committee for failing to cooperate with the inquiry in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35597929 |title=Franz Beckenbauer warned and fined by Fifa's ethics committee |date=17 February 2016 |newspaper=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=28 April 2016 |archive-date=1 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701202616/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35597929 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In March 2016, the Ethics Committee opened formal proceedings against Beckenbauer regarding the awarding of the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]] to Germany.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/23/sports/soccer/fifa-opens-ethics-case-against-german-soccer-officials-including-beckenbauer.html?_r=0 |title=FIFA Opens Ethics Case Against German Soccer Officials Including Beckenbauer |last1=Das |first1=Andrew |date=22 March 2016 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=28 April 2016 |archive-date=8 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508075858/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/23/sports/soccer/fifa-opens-ethics-case-against-german-soccer-officials-including-beckenbauer.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the course of investigations, Swiss officials also found evidence of a payment of at least 1.7 million euro, allegedly from the South African Football Association, to Beckenbauer, via Gibraltar.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.dw.com/en/report-swiss-investigators-uncover-dubious-payment-to-beckenbauer/a-37640821 | title = Report: Swiss probe uncovers dubious payment to Beckenbauer | website =dw.com | date = 20 February 2017 | access-date = 29 December 2023}}</ref> It was claimed this was a consultancy fee for helping secure the hosting of the 2010 World Cup for South Africa.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.kicker.de/neue-vorwuerfe-gegen-beckenbauer-671570/artikel | title = Neue Vorwürfe gegen Beckenbauer | language = de | website = [[Kicker (magazine)|Kicker]] | date = 20 February 2017 | access-date = 29 December 2023}}</ref>

It also emerged that Beckenbauer, who had claimed to be working for free for the World Cup Organizing Committee of the German Football Association (DFB), had been paid 5.5 million from the income of a sponsorship deal that the German Football Association had made with betting company [[Oddset]] in 2004. No tax had been paid in Germany on the money until the authorities chanced upon it in 2010.<ref name ="Independent_1">{{cite web | url = https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/one-of-football-s-alltime-greats-franz-beckenbauer-s-legacy-now-lies-in-tatters-following-corruption-allegation-fifa-investigation-a7310396.html | title = One of football's all-time greats, Franz Beckenbauer's legacy now lies in tatters following corruption allegations | website = The Independent | date = 16 September 2016 | access-date = 29 December 2023 | first = Kit | last = Golden}}</ref> Beckenbauer stated he had already paid the tax due on his share in Austria, where he was tax resident.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-everyones-a-loser/a-19554924 | title = Opinion: Everyone's a loser | website = dw.com | date = 15 September 2016 | access-date = 29 December 2023 | first = Stefan | last = Nestler}}</ref>

In 2021, FIFA closed its ethics inquiry against Beckenbauer, as the statute of limitations had expired.<ref name="fifaclosed">{{cite web|title=FIFA Ends Beckenbauer Bribery Probe Due to Statute of Limitations Expiring |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/02/25/fifa-franz-beckenbauer-bribery-world-cup-2006-statute-limitations |magazine=Sports Illustrated |agency=Associated Press |access-date=19 July 2021 |date=25 February 2021}}</ref>