Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 10y

Zwanziger refuses to resign from FIFA

FIFA executive board member Theo Zwanziger has refused to resign despite the German authorities urging him to do so. 

On Saturday, the German FA (DFB) issued a press release calling on Zwanziger, its former president, to step down from the FIFA Executive Committee on the grounds that he no longer represented the national interest. The DFB's stance was backed by the German Football League (DFL).

Zwanziger, who replaced Franz Beckenbauer on the FIFA ExCo in 2011, has made public attacks on the DFB in recent times and singled out his successor, Wolfgang Niersbach, for criticism over his "hypocritical" salary.

The DFB responded by releasing a statement calling for Zwanziger's resignation from his FIFA office, but he has rejected the idea, and is quoted by kicker as saying: "I will certainly not step down. Niersbach might want to talk to [FIFA president Sepp] Blatter about it."

In an interview with the German network ARD, he added: "The final word is not spoken yet," but added that he will keep quiet until after the World Cup.

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