German football in crisis over drug scandal

COLOGNE, Germany (CNN) -- Prosecutors in the German city of Cologne have launched an investigation against disgraced soccer celebrity Christoph Daum on suspicion of drug abuse.

A spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office confirmed on Monday that the legal proceedings had been launched in the wake of media reports alleging drug abuse by the designated national soccer trainer, who is now said to have escaped media attention by travelling to the United States.

Daum, the 46-year-old trainer of top league club Bayer 04 Leverkusen, tested positive in a voluntary drug test last week. Saturday's announcement about the positive test results shocked a nation that had seen the often controversial sports celebrity leaving personal and professional problems behind to reach the pinnacle of his career.

But with the drugs test, the image of a strong-willed clean fighter collapsed, and the scandal has left the national football association scrambling for ways to mend the crisis and restore its image.

German media have described the Daum case as the worst scandal to hit German football since a bribery scandal more than 20 years ago.

The national football association, DFB, which has led a "no power for drugs" campaign, suddenly sees itself undermined by the very enemy it tried to beat.

"A blow for German soccer," says the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper in Monday's online edition. "The football nation is asking itself: Why did Christoph Daum, even though he must have known better, volunteer to have a drugs test?"

Tragedy, unbelievable, incomprehensible - those are the words used to describe the Daum case in the newspapers, on radio programmes and TV talk shows.

While Germany's football association is trying to come to terms with a badly dented image, its vice president and "Kaiser of German football," Franz Beckenbauer, underlines the human tragedy of the case.

"The human being is more important than the dented image," Beckenbauer is quoted as saying by the Berlin-based Die Welt newspaper.

"Christoph Daum may have to get medical help to heal himself of this illness. One can only hope that he will return to the trainer bench once he has recovered."

Only a few top soccer officials and close family member are said to know the exact whereabouts of Daum, who is said to have travelled to an unknown destination abroad.

According to unconfirmed media reports, Daum may have been addicted to illegal substances for some time - a suggestion that many of his closest friends and colleagues find hard to believe.

In early July, senior soccer officials named Daum as head of the national team. A few weeks later, he made the headlines in connection with legal inquiries into his retail business dealings on the Spanish resort island of Majorca.

During those investigations, rumours also began to emerge about possible drug abuse by Daum. But he firmly rejected those allegations, saying he never came into contact with cocaine.

Immediately after the drugs test was announced, Germany's football association cancelled its verbal agreement under which Daum should have become national trainer on June 1 2001.

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German football association
Christoph Daum official home page

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