German state media confesses to defaming Russian tycoon, says RBK
A German state broadcaster has allegedly acknowledged that the reports accusing Alisher Usmanov of involvement in a “bribery scheme” were inaccurate. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
German media holding Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) has acknowledged that reports accusing Russian metals and telecom mogul Alisher Usmanov of orchestrating a bribery scheme involving International Fencing Federation referees were false, as reported by RBK on Friday.
In August, Germany’s state broadcaster ARD, part of WDR, published two articles and a video report in which journalist Hans-Joachim Seppelt alleged that Usmanov was behind efforts to manipulate referees for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Usmanov held the position of FIE president from 2008 until early 2022, when he stepped down voluntarily following EU sanctions, although he remains president-elect.
According to the reports, Seppelt claimed that Usmanov had established a “system of referee bribery” and corruption during his presidency. However, WDR chose not to defend these allegations. The businessman’s press service informed RBK that the reports, which contained "false statements about the alleged creation of a corruption system in international fencing by Alisher Usmanov," were “subsequently banned by the District Court of Hamburg.”
Earlier this month, the District Court of Hamburg ruled that the information published by ARD was unreliable and sided with Usmanov in his libel case against the broadcaster. The court mandated that ARD refrain from disseminating “inappropriate news based on suspicion,” with potential penalties including fines of up to €250,000 or imprisonment for non-compliance. The libelous reports were removed only after this ruling was issued.
The controversial content was partly based on statements from Georgian fencer Sandro Bazadze, who alleged that he was unfairly defeated in a round of sixteen match. However, the President of the Georgian Fencing Federation, Merab Bazadze, later deemed these claims to be emotional reactions and formally apologized to the FIE.
Usmanov's lawyer, Joachim Steinhofel, criticized Seppelt for breaching “basic journalistic standards” in an effort to portray the businessman as “contemptuous,” stating, “That’s not journalism, that’s a disgrace.” Following his successful libel case against ARD, Usmanov filed a criminal complaint against the German journalist with the prosecutor’s office in Cologne.
Earlier this year, Usmanov also achieved a legal victory against Forbes magazine regarding allegations of connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the District Court of Hamburg declaring those allegations to be untrue and defamatory.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
In August, Germany’s state broadcaster ARD, part of WDR, published two articles and a video report in which journalist Hans-Joachim Seppelt alleged that Usmanov was behind efforts to manipulate referees for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Usmanov held the position of FIE president from 2008 until early 2022, when he stepped down voluntarily following EU sanctions, although he remains president-elect.
According to the reports, Seppelt claimed that Usmanov had established a “system of referee bribery” and corruption during his presidency. However, WDR chose not to defend these allegations. The businessman’s press service informed RBK that the reports, which contained "false statements about the alleged creation of a corruption system in international fencing by Alisher Usmanov," were “subsequently banned by the District Court of Hamburg.”
Earlier this month, the District Court of Hamburg ruled that the information published by ARD was unreliable and sided with Usmanov in his libel case against the broadcaster. The court mandated that ARD refrain from disseminating “inappropriate news based on suspicion,” with potential penalties including fines of up to €250,000 or imprisonment for non-compliance. The libelous reports were removed only after this ruling was issued.
The controversial content was partly based on statements from Georgian fencer Sandro Bazadze, who alleged that he was unfairly defeated in a round of sixteen match. However, the President of the Georgian Fencing Federation, Merab Bazadze, later deemed these claims to be emotional reactions and formally apologized to the FIE.
Usmanov's lawyer, Joachim Steinhofel, criticized Seppelt for breaching “basic journalistic standards” in an effort to portray the businessman as “contemptuous,” stating, “That’s not journalism, that’s a disgrace.” Following his successful libel case against ARD, Usmanov filed a criminal complaint against the German journalist with the prosecutor’s office in Cologne.
Earlier this year, Usmanov also achieved a legal victory against Forbes magazine regarding allegations of connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the District Court of Hamburg declaring those allegations to be untrue and defamatory.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
