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Franz Beckenbauer wants FIFA to publish Michael Garcia's report into World Cup bidding process

Image: Franz Beckenbauer: Says he was never offered a bribe

Former FIFA member Franz Beckenbauer has called for a report into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process to be published, saying: "I have nothing to hide".

FIFA's chief ethics investigator Michael Garcia was tasked with investigating allegations of corruption and has delivered his final report, but the organisation's president Sepp Blatter last month rejected calls to make the findings public.

Garcia, FA chief Greg Dyke and UEFA president Michel Platini have all called for its publication, and it is now the job of FIFA's top ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert to rule whether any individuals are guilty of wrongdoing.

Beckenbauer - a FIFA member in 2010 when Russia and Qatar were chosen as hosts - initially refused to co-operate with Garcia, claiming his request to be interviewed in German was turned down.

But he later agreed to be questioned, and the World Cup-winning player and manager stands by what he told the investigator - that he was never offered an incentive to vote one way or another.

He said: "I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be published, but that's a decision for FIFA. But personally there is nothing to hide, and if you have nothing to hide then you can publish and divulge it.

"A lot of things have happened over the past few years, all the suspected sleaze. These are accusations, there is no evidence to my knowledge."

Asked directly whether he had been offered a bribe he said: "That's a clear no. How shall I say this? Nobody approached me directly, nobody offered me anything in order to influence my vote, no this did not happen."

He added: "It was a secret ballot and I have to observe this agreement made at the time. I was surprised too that Qatar was chosen, that was my first reaction. The bid was very good by Qatar, like all the others."

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