Hoeness 'will not appeal sentence'

German prosecutors say they will not appeal against former Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness’ prison sentence for tax evasion.

The decision clears the way for Hoeness, one of German football’s most prominent figures, to start his jail term.

Hoeness was convicted of evading about €28.5m in taxes via an undeclared Swiss bank account.

He said he would not appeal and resigned as Bayern president.

Prosecutors also are entitled to appeal in Germany and could have sought a tougher sentence. At the trial, they called for a five-and-a-half year sentence; the legal maximum for tax evasion is 10 years.

However, Munich prosecutors said in a statement they will not appeal. Hoeness is likely to go to prison in a few weeks.