Berlin World Cup official shoots himself in head

BERLIN, July 11 (Reuters) Berlin's top World Cup official shot himself in the head hours after the tournament ended on Sunday night but survived his apparent suicide attempt, a police spokesman said today.

Emergency services found the man, who was the Berlin local government's representative on the World Cup organising committee, at his house in the suburbs of Berlin early yesterday.

The Berliner Zeitung daily reported that the man, a 65-year-old widower called Juergen Kiessling, had left two suicide notes, one for his daughter and one for his family.

Citing a police source, the newspaper said Kiessling had ''political'' problems. German media said his condition remained life-threatening.

Berlin hosted the World Cup final on Sunday when more than a million fans spilled on to the city's streets as Italy beat France 5-3 on penalties, concluding the four-week event.

The tournament was a huge success for Germany and its capital city, which hosted millions of fans in its ''Fan Mile'' viewing area near the Brandenburg Gate without incident.

REUTERS DH HT1732