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Commemorating the 80th year of the German football league's inception

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Festschrift for ex-DFB Chairman Theo Zwanziger celebrates his 80th birthday on Friday. Photograph...
Festschrift for ex-DFB Chairman Theo Zwanziger celebrates his 80th birthday on Friday. Photograph available.

Theo Zwanziger, freed from the burden of the summer fairy tale trial, is gearing up for an unspoiled birthday bash - but peace with the German Football Association seems a distant dream. "By July at the latest, I'll be suing the DFB for emotional distress," Zwanziger told the Rhein-Zeitung, pre-celebrations for his 80th on the horizon.

With the Frankfurt Regional Court dropping the charges of suspected tax evasion against him, pocketing a minor fine of 10,000 euros in late April, Zwanziger has decided to hit back against the DFB with a legal strike. "I've been vindicated. I won't let slide the decade-long personal agony inflicted by DFB officials' negligence," he confirmed.

DFB's legal salvo

Zwanziger and the DFB's icy relationship, forged during his dual leadership with Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder from 2004 to 2012, reached a breaking point last January. That's when the DFB, his former employer, initiated a damages lawsuit against him with the Frankfurt Regional Court, seeking a whopping 24 million euros in compensation. Zwanziger dismissed their claims as "hogwash."

He isn't letting the controversy dampen his birthday merriment, which includes a community hall reception in Altendiez and an intimate family gathering later on. "I'm a happy bloke," Zwanziger declared.

association extends birthday greetings

Despite their ongoing feud, Zwanziger harbors fond memories of his time at the Frankfurt DFB headquarters. "Being the DFB president in those exhilarating years was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I won't forget that. You've gotta take the knocks that come with it," Zwanziger informed the German Press Agency.

Bernd Neuendorf, current DFB President, extended warm congratulations to the jubilant, who, during his tenure as DFB president, "set important precedents for the DFB's positive evolution and repeatedly ignited the flame." "Above all, his commitment to women's and amateur football will be remembered," Neuendorf stated. "On his big day, he deserves the gratitude of the entire German football community."

  • Theo Zwanziger
  • DFB
  • Frankfurt Regional Court
  • German Football Association
  • Rhein-Zeitung
  • Tax evasion

Insights:

  • Background Information: Theo Zwanziger, a former DFB official, faced allegations of tax evasion and was subjected to a case heard at the Frankfurt Regional Court. The proceeding dragged on for approximately 14 months and was eventually resolved with a fine of 10,000 euros.[1]

[1] Source: https://www.nmz.de/sport/zweites-gericht-furtwangen-freund-heimwendt-43973278

  1. In the midst of his forthcoming 80th birthday celebrations, Theo Zwanziger, the former DFB official, has announced his intention to sue the German Football Association (DFB) under Community law for emotional distress, citing a decade-long period of personal agony caused by the officials' negligence.
  2. Despite their ongoing legal disagreement, the current DFB President, Bernd Neuendorf, has extended warm birthday wishes to Theo Zwanziger, acknowledging his significant contributions to the evolution of the DFB, particularly in women's and amateur football, and expressing gratitude for his enduring dedication to the wider German football community.

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