The criminal trial against Boris Becker is scheduled to begin in London on March 21. He is accused of partially hiding assets and not handing over trophies in his bankruptcy proceedings.
London – The three-time Wimbledon winner Boris Becker (54) is confident about his criminal trial before a court in London.
“I’m a positive person, always believe in the good and in English jurisdiction. That’s why the thought of the court case doesn’t make me sleepless,” said the former tennis pro in an interview with “Bild am Sonntag” and added: “Do I have great respect for it? Yes. Am I tense? Yes. Am I sometimes nervous too? Yes.”
But he was “don’t panic. We, my lawyers and I, are well prepared. I will personally try to refute the allegations for each of the 24 charges,” said the native of Leimen. He was “glad that the process is finally starting and that the court will make a judgment. The past five years have been damn long, the hardest of my life,” he was quoted as saying.
Becker denies allegations
The trial at Southwark Crown Court in London is set to begin on March 21. Becker is accused of partially hiding assets and not handing over trophies in his bankruptcy proceedings in England. Becker denies the allegations.
In an initial hearing, he pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison. “If everything goes against me, I have a problem. But I’m a person who never gives up and always fights to the end,” said the former world number one. When asked if he would not use the word prison, Becker replied: “No. The presumption of innocence must also apply to me.”
Becker will “accept any verdict”
He was not allowed to go into any of the points before the start of the process, said Becker, saying that many confused the criminal process with the insolvency process. In the upcoming proceedings, a decision will be made as to “whether I have committed a criminal offense. Regardless of this, my bankruptcy will continue. It ends the moment everything that once belonged to me is sold,” he said. Of course he will “accept every verdict. But I hope that the judge and the twelve jurors will reach a fair verdict.” dpa
