NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Boris Becker in tax net

First Steffi Graf, now Boris Becker -- German tax authorites appear to be homing in on their tennis aces with a vengeance.

A massive, coordinated tax raid thus saw authorities hitting around 30 locations, including the offices and apartments of Becker's sponsors and friends, in a bid to unearth records relating to a rumoured evasion running into the millions.

The semi-retired three-time Wimbledon champion, along with former manager Ion Tiriac, are under suspicion of having indulged in large scale tax evasion during the period 1990-1993, when the German ace took up residence in Monto Carlo, a tax haven for international sports figures.

The allegations first surfaced in February 1997 and despite constant denials by both Becker and Tiriac, have refused to go away.

As of now, authorities are attempting to prove that Becker did not spend the required 185 days each year in Monte Carlo, that would qualify him for exemption under German tax rules.

It will be recalled that Peter Graf, father of Steffi, was earlier accused of similar evasion, and sentenced in January 1997 to a prison term of almost four years, for evasion running into six million plus.

Graf senior was released this April.