When the world gets closer.

We help you see farther.

Sign up to our expressly international daily newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

You've reached your limit of one free article.

Get unlimited access to Worldcrunch

You can cancel anytime .

SUBSCRIBERS BENEFITS

Exclusive International news coverage

Ad-free experience NEW

Weekly digital Magazine NEW

9 daily & weekly Newsletters

Access to Worldcrunch archives

Free trial

30-days free access, then $2.90
per month.

Annual Access BEST VALUE

$19.90 per year, save $14.90 compared to monthly billing.save $14.90.

Subscribe to Worldcrunch
Germany

In Germany, Bribery Charges Imminent For Formula One Boss Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone's trial is not likely to be a speedy one...
Bernie Ecclestone's trial is not likely to be a speedy one...
Hans Leyendecker and Klaus Ott

MUNICH - In early July, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone may come to Germany to attend the F1 race hosted by the Nürburgring south of Cologne.

Ecclestone, the British mogul who has turned motor sports into a billion dollar business, enjoys showing up for the racing events to chat with the drivers, meet sponsors, and work deals. But if he does show up, the visit will be the last comfortable one he takes to Germany. The one after that is a court date in Munich.

Ecclestone has been under investigation for over two years because he secretly gave $44 million to a top banker with a lot of say in F1. Now the investigation phase has been completed and according to information obtained by Süddeutsche Zeitung, the long-planned bribery charge planned against Ecclestone should be filed at a Munich court this month, perhaps as early as this week.

But it will still be some time before the indictment reaches Bernie -- as he is mostly referred to. The document has first to be translated into English, so that Ecclestone can read what he is accused of. And then his lawyers, Sven Thomas and Norbert Scharf, get accorded some time to respond.

The lawyers will do everything to convince the court at a preliminary hearing that the charges do not apply and that therefore no trial is necessary. Thomas and Scharf have already tried to prevent an indictment, without success. If the court reaches the decision that the charges warrant a trial, it will most certainly not begin before the fall.

Bribery or blackmail?

Will Ecclestone still be the F1’s big boss by then? Months ago, as it became clear that he might be charged, top managers started thinking about how they could get around this, and the idea was to get Ecclestone to step down. The official reason given would be that he needs all his time and energy to deal with the case. The unofficial reality is that the sponsors and heads of state with whom the racing entity negotiates will not want to deal with someone charged with a crime.

In October, Ecclestone will turn 83. However, he is fit, and retirement is not on the agenda. He also vehemently denies any wrongdoing and says that he only gave BayernLB chairman Gerhard Gribkowsky the $44 million because he was being blackmailed.

BayernLB was at one time majority shareholder in Formula 1 and made life difficult for Bernie, until Gribkowsky suddenly let up on him. The former banker now claims to have been bribed by Ecclestone. He has been condemned to eight and a half years in prison for accepting bribes and other charges. The case will not be appealed. However, the banker’s sentence does not mean that the F1 boss will be found guilty.

The Ecclestone trial is a brand new -- and separate -- proceeding. Neither the prosecution in Munich nor Ecclestone’s two lawyers wished to comment on the filing of the charges.

You've reached your limit of free articles.

To read the full story, start your free trial today.

Get unlimited access. Cancel anytime.

Exclusive coverage from the world's top sources, in English for the first time.

Insights from the widest range of perspectives, languages and countries.

Society

How WeChat Is Helping Bhutan's Disappearing Languages Find A New Voice

Phd candidate Tashi Dema, from the University of New England, discusses how social media apps, particularly WeChat, are helping to preserve local Bhutanese languages without a written alphabet. Dema argues that preservation of these languages has far-reaching benefits for the small Himalayan country's rich culture and tradition.

A monk in red performing while a sillouhet of a monk is being illuminated by their phone.

Monk performing while a sillouheted monk is on their phone

Source: Caterina Sanders/Unsplash
Tashi Dema

THIMPHU — Dechen, 40, grew up in Thimphu, the capital city of Bhutan. Her native language was Mangdip, also known as Nyenkha, as her parents are originally from central Bhutan. She went to schools in the city, where the curriculum was predominantly taught in Dzongkha, the national language, and English.

In Dechen’s house, everyone spoke Dzongkha. She only spoke her mother tongue when she had guests from her village, who could not understand Dzongkha and during her occasional visits to her village nestled in the mountains. Her mother tongue knowledge was limited.

✉️ You can receive our Bon Vivant selection of fresh reads on international culture, food & travel directly in your inbox. Subscribe here.

However, things have now changed.

With 90% of Bhutanese people using social media and social media penetrating all remotes areas in Bhutan, Dechen’s relatives in remote villages are connected on WeChat.

Keep reading...Show less

The latest