German referee Felix Zwayer, appointed to officiate the upcoming Europa League final between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, previously served a six-month ban for his connection to a match-fixing scandal.
In 2005, Zwayer became involved in the widespread match-fixing scheme orchestrated by Robert Hoyzer in the German second tier. While Zwayer was one of the officials who reported Hoyzer’s activities, he himself faced consequences.
According to an interview with Tagesspiegel am Sonntag at the time, Zwayer stated that Hoyzer asked him to manipulate the outcome of a match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Cologne. “When I got this firm offer from Hoyzer, I went to my refereeing colleagues,” Zwayer said. “I stress once again that I strongly rejected this offer straightaway.” He further asserted, “I have a clear conscience, and I can sleep well because I know I didn’t tamper with the game.”
Despite his role as a whistleblower, the German football federation (DFB) found that Zwayer had accepted €300 from Hoyzer, resulting in a six-month suspension for the referee. Hoyzer, the central figure in the scandal, received a lifetime ban from football. Sources and related content