German ref in " fix" probe

[Cookie]

German 'match-fixing' ref resigns

 

Now Hoyzer himself has been forced off the pitch

A football referee in Germany has resigned over allegations of match-fixing.

Robert Hoyzer, 25, is suspected of betting on a cup tie last August, in which top division Hamburg lost to lower-ranked Paderborn.

 

Mr Hoyzer gave Paderborn two penalties, and sent off a Hamburg player.

 

Germany's Football Association said there was evidence of manipulation in other games involving Mr Hoyzer. He denies any wrongdoing.

 

The association is holding an emergency meeting on Monday.

 

Spokesman Harald Stenger said : "We will leave no stone unturned in this investigation."

 

In the match at the centre of the allegations, Hamburg took a 2-0 lead but went on to lose 4-2.

 

Mr Hoyzer sent off Hamburg striker Emile Mpenza for insulting him, and awarded two penalties to the regional league side.

 

Hamburg were bottom of the Bundesliga at the time, after losing their first two games.

 

Manager Klaus Toppmoeller was later sacked - and he now blames his dismissal on Mr Hoyzer.

 

"The referee cost me my job," Mr Toppmoeller told Bild newspaper on Sunday.

 

"I always hoped that football was clean but you have to doubt that now."

 

It is the biggest scandal in German football since 1971 when the Bundesliga was hit by a big match-fixing scandal.

[Cookie]

Hoyzer admits match-fixing

 

German referee Robert Hoyzer admitted on Thursday that he had fixed matches and offered to co-operate with the investigation into the country's biggest football scandal in over 30 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The allegations against me which have been raised in public are in essence true," the 25-year-old Hoyzer said in a statement released by his lawyers.

 

"I deeply regret my behaviour and apologise to the German Football Association (DFB), my refereeing colleagues and all football fans."

 

Germany's football community reacted to the confession with disgust, while Berlin prosecutors said they had received a complaint highlighting a suspected link with Croatian gamblers.

 

Volker Roth, head of the referees committee of both the DFB and UEFA, was visibly shaken at a news conference in Frankfurt and said steps had to be taken to prevent a repeat of the affair.

 

"As a former head German and European referee, I shouldn't let myself be thrown out of kilter, but this business really does upset me," Roth said. "It's unforgivable."

 

Rudi Assauer, commercial manager of Bundesliga club Schalke 04, described Hoyzer's action as "a slap in the face for German football".

 

News of the scandal broke on Saturday evening when the DFB announced that Hoyzer was under suspicion of rigging Hamburg SV's Cup defeat by Paderborn SC in August last year after betting on the result.

 

Hamburg took a 2-0 lead but went on to lose 4-2 after Hoyzer sent off striker Emile Mpenza in the first half for insulting him and awarded two penalties to the regional league side.

 

INVESTIGATION WIDENS

 

The DFB has since widened its investigation to look at Hoyzer's involvement in five more second division and regional league matches, four of which he refereed himself. Hoyzer did not referee any first division games.

 

Earlier this week Hoyzer denied having bet on any matches that he had refereed, while his lawyer strongly criticised the DFB's handling of the case and said his client had been pressured into signing a resignation letter.

 

Hoyzer changed his story on Thursday after a second consultation with his lawyers.

 

"I have documented completely and unsparingly my behaviour and my entire substantial knowledge of all facts and people known to me in this matter and am available to prosecutors and the DFB to provide a full explanation," concluded the statement,

 

released by lawyers Holthoff-Pfoertner.

 

Public prosecutors said on Thursday they had been involved in the case since Wednesday in response to complaint lodged by the DFB and also a private individual in the southern town of Passau.

 

"The essence of the criminal complaint of the DFB is ... the 'urgent suspicion' that the referee influenced the result of a match under his control," the statement read.

 

"According to the complaint, it could 'not be ruled out' that 'Mr Hoyzer had contact with betting customers in a Berlin locale mainly frequented by Croatians' where there was 'evidently betting targeted at matches under Mr Hoyzer's charge'."

 

Germany was rocked by a corruption scandal in 1971, with sanctions imposed on 53 players, two coaches, six officials and clubs Arminia Bielefeld and Kickers Offenbach.

 

 

 

Eurosport

[Hornet]

Robert Hoyzer ist ein ficken wichser. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/attentat.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/police.gif" alt="" />

[Hempstead Gaz]

Makes you wonder whether our refs are taking a bung? They REALLY can't be as bad as they are by accident.!!

[Hornet]

That German ref is a disgrace and I'm a bit shocked at this story.

I hope Chatham Gary you never have to witness the refs in conf. sth. Our teams may only be a league apart but the standard of refereeing is more than that. I do think that disputing decisions and shouting yourself hoarse at refs is part of the fun of going to games ( and on the telly come to think of it ).

Who's your choice for your new manager b.t.w. ( not including CK of course ). And who do you think it is most likely to be?

[Guest]

 

Dover fan

 

Just reading your forum and i'd like to add that you should see the refereeing in ryman premier - jeees! I'm not looking forward to ryman 1 next year!

[Cookie]

Saturday 12th February 2005

 

The referee at the centre of Germany's match-fixing scandal encouraged a player to "dive" and earn a penalty during a game he rigged.

Referee Robert Hoyzer admonished Paderborn captain Thijs Waterink,"Come on,do something" during a German Cup tie in August against first division Hamburger SV.

Waterink fell and third division Paderborn were awarded one of two penalties that helped them come back from a two goal deficit to win 4-2.

Hoyzer admitted the match was one of four games in which Croatian gamblers paid him to fix the outcomes.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Quote:

That German ref is a disgrace and I'm a bit shocked at this story.
I hope Chatham Gary you never have to witness the refs in conf. sth. Our teams may only be a league apart but the standard of refereeing is more than that. I do think that disputing decisions and shouting yourself hoarse at refs is part of the fun of going to games ( and on the telly come to think of it ).
Who's your choice for your new manager b.t.w. ( not including CK of course ). And who do you think it is most likely to be?

Believe me Hornet , I have. I have been following the reds since 1967, and I can assure you I actually saw Mr Magoo reffing one game!!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

who holds th record for playing the longest injury time Mr Singh must be in the running

[David Holden]

He's not even close, there was a match at Basingstoke either last year or the year before where nearly 20 minutes were played.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Quote:

who holds th record for playing the longest injury time Mr Singh must be in the running

Mr Singh was always well respected here at Fleet.
I think he was the only ref to get applauded when his name was called out before a game.
Top ref. Very fair, and has the respect of players and (most) fans alike.
Fully deserves to in the Championship, it's only a matter of time before he gets promoted to the Premiership.

[ooh!!bodyform]

totally agree

[Cookie]

Agree that Mr Singh was the ONE referee that came here and was always pleasant fair and at the same time strong with his decisions. He was well under his true level and all the best to him. Greatly respected by us down here too.

[Cookie]

Evening Standard weds 16th feb 2005

 

Franz Beckenbauer has admitted that Germany's damaging match fixing scandal is affecting preparations for next year's World Cup Finals.

 

The World Cup winner,who leads the 2006 organising committee, said "The work remains undone while we do nothing but put out fire after fire. I hope it will be resolved as soon as possible".

 

Berlin prosecutors say 25 people, including 4 referees and 14 players, are suspected of manipulating at least 10 games on behalf of a Croatian syndicate.

 

It is believed one of those games was a friendly involving English club Middlesbrough.

[Cookie]

Referee Dominik Marks has been accused on suspicion of money laundering and fraud.

Already suspended by the German football association (DFB,)based on statements by Robert Hoyzer,the referee at the centre of controversy,he said that Marks was involved in rigging the results of 3 matches,but did not specify which ones.

The judge ruled that Marks should remain in custody on the basis of strong suspicion & strong beliefs that he could abscond.