Becker blames bad press, expensive lifestyle for debts

German great details money troubles at trial

LONDON－Tennis great Boris Becker, who is on trial in London accused of failing to hand over his assets after he was declared bankrupt, has told a jury about his struggles with money, including payments for an "expensive divorce "and debts when he lost large chunks of his income after retirement.

Becker, 54, said Monday he wasn't able to earn enough to pay his debts because of bad publicity when his reputation declined. He said he had "expensive lifestyle commitments "including a house in Wimbledon that cost 22,000 pounds ($28,800) in rent each month.

He added that his divorce with ex-wife Barbara Becker in 2001 involved high child-support payments for their two sons. He said that was on top of having to support his daughter, Anna Ermakova, and his mother in a deal which included a 2.5-million pound ($3.3 million) London apartment.

Becker was declared bankrupt in June 2017 and is on trial accused of 24 charges including failing to hand over his trophies and other awards, including an Olympic gold medal, and concealing property from bankruptcy trustees.

He allegedly hid over $1 million from the sale of a Mercedes car dealership he owned in Germany, and transferred hundreds of thousands of pounds to other accounts.

The six-time Grand Slam champion denies the charges.

Becker's bankruptcy resulted from a 4.6 million-euro ($5 million) loan from a private bank in 2013, as well as about $1.6 million borrowed from a British businessman the year after, according to testimony at the trial, which began last week and is ongoing.

Becker also owed Swiss authorities about 5 million francs ($5.5 million) and just under 1 million euros in liabilities over a conviction for tax evasion and attempted tax evasion in Germany in 2002.

Becker said he struggled to pay back the loans "because various companies didn't prolong their contracts".

"My image wasn't as good anymore, brand Becker was not regarded as highly as before and they didn't want to be associated with a brand that was criticized in the media," he said. " (It is) very difficult when you are bankrupt and in the headlines every week for it. (It is) very difficult to make a lot of money with my name."

Trophy mystery

Becker said he does not know the whereabouts of his All England Club trophies.

He told the jury at Southwark Crown Court he would produce the trophies "tomorrow" if he had them.

The 54-year-old German won the first of his six Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon in 1985 aged just 17.

Becker, who said he has sold his properties to help fix his finances, added that he had "lots" of trophies and memorabilia from his top-flight 15-year career but some are now missing.

"For the player, it's about winning the title. The trophy is not so much when you are playing," Becker told the court.

"Nowadays I wish I had them to show them to my children."

Former world No 1 Becker denies 24 charges under the Insolvency Act.

Among the awards he is accused of failing to hand over after he was declared bankrupt are two of his three Wimbledon men's singles titles, his 1992 Olympic gold medal and Australian Open trophies from 1991 and 1996.

The trophies presented on court are bigger than the ones the athletes get to take home, the court heard.

Becker said the Australian Open "is a big tournament to win it, but what you keep is like this", cupping his hands toward each other for the jury to see.

He said "it is the smallest" of the trophies and added that the top players "in effect... made fun of them".

Becker said he knows he gave a President's Cup trophy to his mother.

Some of his trophies were auctioned off for 700,000 pounds to pay his debts and he has made various appeals to try to locate the missing trophies.

Major tennis associations, halls of fame and museums are among the places that have been contacted, but Becker said he is "not in a better position today" to say where they are.

Agencies