TSV president held in bribe probe

THE president of top German soccer club TSV 1860 Munich was detained yesterday on suspicion of taking a bribe in connection with the construction of the city’s new stadium, state prosecutors in Bavaria said.

Karl-Heinz Wildmoser, his son, who holds a management position at the stadium’s holding company, and two others were taken into custody.

They are under suspicion of receiving a €2.8 million bribe from Austrian construction company Alpine, lead firm in the group building the stadium, during the bidding process for the contract.

The sum, representing one percent of the €280 million cost of the stadium, came to light when authorities conducted a probe into the sales tax history of a construction company belonging to a school friend of Wildmoser’s son

The venue, to be known as the Allianz Arena, is set to host the first match of the 2006 World Cup.