Lengthy Imprisonment in Volkswagen Scandal: Boxing Authority Stripped of President
Four Volkswagen Managers Convicted in Diesel Scandal Emissions Case
Four former high-ranking executives from Volkswagen (VW) were convicted of fraud in the diesel emissions-cheating scandal by a German court in Braunschweig this week. The verdict sentences Jens H., former head of diesel engine development, to four years and six months in prison, a harsher penalty than the rest.
Hanno J., the former head of drive electronics, received a prison sentence of two years and seven months, while Heinz-Jakob Neusser, another VW executive, was given a one-year and three-month suspended jail term. Two other defendants, Volkswagen’s former development director and a former department head, were given suspended sentences of approximately one year and ten months each.
The executives were responsible for different aspects of VW’s engine technology across several years, including from 2006 to 2007 and from 2015. The suspended sentences mean these individuals will not have to serve their prison terms immediately, but they will be under probation for that period.
In a move unrelated to the trial, Jens Hadler, the president of the German Boxing Association (DBV), has stepped down following his sentencing as a VW manager in the scandal. Hadler, 59, had been widely recognized for his significant contributions to the development of the DBV, providing groundbreaking impulses for the association's progress.
The replacement for Hadler has already been appointed. Mir Farid Vatanparast was elected unanimously as his successor, leading the association's affairs as a co-opted president until the election congress. In a statement, Hadler expressed his satisfaction with the unity shown by the executive board and his conviction that Vatanparast is an exceptional successor.
Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 that it had installed illegal software in certain diesel engines, resulting in reduced nitrogen oxide emissions during tests but not on the road. Over eleven million cars worldwide were affected by the emissions-cheating scandal, with more than €32 billion euros having been paid in fines, compensation, and legal costs up to date.
According to the court, the Braunschweig verdict concerned approximately 2.3 million vehicles from VW, with a total damage amounting to €2.1 billion euros. The defendants with the harshest sentences were responsible for a significant portion of the manipulated cars and the overall damage.
Sources: ntv.de, tsi/sid/AFP/dpa
Tags: Boxing, Volkswagen, Emissions Scandal, Scandals and Affairs
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation, discussions about adopting a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation might be expected in the light of the recent court convictions of Volkswagen managers involved in the diesel emissions scandal.
- Amidst the general-news of this week, the politics surrounding the emissions scandal has been a dominant topic, with the sentencing of four high-ranking Volkswagen executives in Germany for fraud.
- While sports and sports-betting are typically unrelated to policy-and-legislation or politics, the sentencing of Jens Hadler, the president of the German Boxing Association (DBV), in the Volkswagen emissions scandal has led to a shift in the sports world, with his successor, Mir Farid Vatanparast, being appointed to lead the DBV.
