Robert Hoyzer
Encyclopedia
Robert Hoyzer is a retired German
football referee, who scandal
ized German football
by fixing matches
in the Bundesliga scandal of 2005.
and studied sport management at the Fachhochschule Salzgitter
, but did not complete the course.
Hertha BSC Berlin
, was registered by the German Football Association (DFB)
as a referee in 2001, initially only officiating matches in the third-division Regionalliga Nord
, where he made a total of nine appearances in the 2001–02 season. At the beginning of the 2002–2003 season, he was added to the list of assistant referees for the 2nd Bundesliga
and made 13 appearances in the league throughout the season. At the beginning of 2003–04 season, he was added to the list of first officials for both the 2nd Bundesliga and German Cup
(DFB-Pokal), and also continued to officiate matches in the Regionalliga Nord. He officiated a total of 26 matches in these three competitions over the following two seasons. He never officiated matches in the 1st Bundesliga.
and 1st Bundesliga club Hamburger SV
on 21 August 2004. In the match, HSV took a 2–0 lead, but Hoyzer sent off
HSV striker Emile Mpenza
in the first half, and also awarded Paderborn two questionable penalties. Paderborn went on to win 4–2.
Hoyzer resigned as a referee and resigned his membership with Hertha BSC Berlin. The DFB soon announced that it was investigating whether or not Hoyzer fixed other matches in the regional leagues and second division. The German prosecutor's office in Braunschweig
launched a separate investigation.
Hoyzer initially denied the allegations, but later admitted to them on 27 January. It was revealed that Hoyzer had ties to Croat
organized crime
syndicates who had bet large sums on the matches Hoyzer officiated. German media have reported that Hoyzer told investigators that he was present when other referees received payoffs from the syndicates and had heard that players were being paid as well. On 28 January, four arrests linked to the Hoyzer probe were made in Berlin; one of the sites was the café where Hoyzer allegedly met with his contacts. A Stuttgart
newspaper also reported that the DFB president said players could have been involved in the fix.
On 2 February, prosecutors in Berlin announced that police had raided the premises of 19 suspects in the spreading scandal, and discovered evidence that may implicate as many as 25 people, including 14 players and three other referees, in fixing ten matches in 2004 alone. Hoyzer, who has been cooperating with the German authorities, provided much of the information that led to the raids.
On 10 February, the DFB announced that Hoyzer had been officially suspended for "unsportsmanlike conduct", after a hearing on 29 April he was handed a lifetime ban from refereeing football matches in Germany.
On 12 February, Hoyzer was arrested by police after new evidence emerged to suggest that he had fixed more matches than he had already admitted to. The German prosecutor's office suggested that he faced a long jail sentence if found guilty.
His information has so far led to the arrest of one other person, Dominik Marks, another referee.
On 24 March, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel
broke a story that expanded the scope of the scandal far beyond Germany, and possibly to UEFA
headquarters. According to the report, Hoyzer told investigators that the gambling ring had the lists of referees and assistants who would work competitive international matches and fixtures in the UEFA Champions League
and UEFA Cup
about a week in advance of the matches. UEFA does not publicize the officials list until two days before matches. The story also noted that only the UEFA referee manager and the 11 members of its referee commission were supposed to have advance knowledge of these names.
The criminal charges Hoyzer admitted to carried a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, although there was no mandatory jail term. On 17 November 2005, in a surprise verdict considering his co-operation with the enquiry, Hoyzer was jailed for 2 years 5 months. At the same time Marks was convicted and jailed for 1 year 6 months, and betting ring leader Ante Sapina was jailed for 2 years 11 months.
Hoyzer's actions have led the DFB to adopt new policies to prevent further such incidents. The federation imposed a blanket ban on betting on football matches, effective with the 2005–06 season, by anyone associated with the sport—players, coaches, referees and officials. The DFB initially committed to assigning referees to matches with only two days' notice, but settled on four days' notice once it determined that its original proposal was impractical.
In June 2006 the Austrian art and theory group monochrom
created an exhibition about the Hoyzer case. The project dealt with the relationships between fraud and "business as usual", between corruption and commercialisation.
In the appeal against conviction and sentence, begun on 28 November 2006, in Leipzig
, there was surprise when the state prosecutor, Hartmut Schneider, found that although Hoyzer had cheated, he had not committed a criminal fraud, and called for Hoyzer's conviction to be overturned. However, on 15 December 2006, the court confirmed both the conviction and the sentence.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
football referee, who scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
ized German football
Football in Germany
Association football is the most popular sport in Germany. The German Football Association is the sport's national governing body, with 6.6 million members organized in over 26,000 football clubs. There is a league system, with the 1. and 2. Bundesliga on top, and the winner of the first...
by fixing matches
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
in the Bundesliga scandal of 2005.
Early life
Hoyzer, whose father was also a referee, grew up in SpandauSpandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
and studied sport management at the Fachhochschule Salzgitter
Fachhochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel
Fachhochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel , also known as Ostfalia, is a German Fachhochschule established in 1971....
, but did not complete the course.
Refereeing career
Hoyzer, a member of the Bundesliga'sFußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
Hertha BSC Berlin
Hertha BSC Berlin
Hertha Berliner Sport-Club von 1892, commonly known as Hertha BSC or Hertha Berlin, is a German association football club based in Berlin. A founding member of the German Football Association in Leipzig in 1900, the club has a long history as Berlin's best-supported side...
, was registered by the German Football Association (DFB)
German Football Association
The German Football Association is the governing body of football in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB organises the German football leagues, including the national league, the Bundesliga, and the men's and women's national teams. The DFB is based in Frankfurt and is...
as a referee in 2001, initially only officiating matches in the third-division Regionalliga Nord
Regionalliga Nord
The Regionalliga Nord is currently the fourth tier of the German football league system. Until the introduction of the 3rd Liga in 2008 it was the third tier. It currently is the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany. It covers ten of the sixteen states of Germany...
, where he made a total of nine appearances in the 2001–02 season. At the beginning of the 2002–2003 season, he was added to the list of assistant referees for the 2nd Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
and made 13 appearances in the league throughout the season. At the beginning of 2003–04 season, he was added to the list of first officials for both the 2nd Bundesliga and German Cup
DFB-Pokal
The DFB-Pokal or DFB Cup is a German knockout football cup competition held annually. 64 teams participate in the competition, including all clubs from the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. It is considered the second most important national title in German football after the Bundesliga...
(DFB-Pokal), and also continued to officiate matches in the Regionalliga Nord. He officiated a total of 26 matches in these three competitions over the following two seasons. He never officiated matches in the 1st Bundesliga.
Match fixing
Hoyzer's career as a referee came to an abrupt end in January 2005 after he was suspected of betting on a first-round German Cup tie between regional league side PaderbornSC Paderborn 07
SC Paderborn 07 is a German association football club based in Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, currently playing in the 2. Bundesliga.-History:...
and 1st Bundesliga club Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
on 21 August 2004. In the match, HSV took a 2–0 lead, but Hoyzer sent off
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
HSV striker Emile Mpenza
Émile Mpenza
Eka Basunga Lokonda "Émile" Mpenza is a Belgian footballer who plays for Neftchi Baku as a striker. He has been capped at international level by Belgium. His older brother, Mbo, was also a footballer who represented Belgium....
in the first half, and also awarded Paderborn two questionable penalties. Paderborn went on to win 4–2.
Hoyzer resigned as a referee and resigned his membership with Hertha BSC Berlin. The DFB soon announced that it was investigating whether or not Hoyzer fixed other matches in the regional leagues and second division. The German prosecutor's office in Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
launched a separate investigation.
Hoyzer initially denied the allegations, but later admitted to them on 27 January. It was revealed that Hoyzer had ties to Croat
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
syndicates who had bet large sums on the matches Hoyzer officiated. German media have reported that Hoyzer told investigators that he was present when other referees received payoffs from the syndicates and had heard that players were being paid as well. On 28 January, four arrests linked to the Hoyzer probe were made in Berlin; one of the sites was the café where Hoyzer allegedly met with his contacts. A Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
newspaper also reported that the DFB president said players could have been involved in the fix.
On 2 February, prosecutors in Berlin announced that police had raided the premises of 19 suspects in the spreading scandal, and discovered evidence that may implicate as many as 25 people, including 14 players and three other referees, in fixing ten matches in 2004 alone. Hoyzer, who has been cooperating with the German authorities, provided much of the information that led to the raids.
On 10 February, the DFB announced that Hoyzer had been officially suspended for "unsportsmanlike conduct", after a hearing on 29 April he was handed a lifetime ban from refereeing football matches in Germany.
On 12 February, Hoyzer was arrested by police after new evidence emerged to suggest that he had fixed more matches than he had already admitted to. The German prosecutor's office suggested that he faced a long jail sentence if found guilty.
His information has so far led to the arrest of one other person, Dominik Marks, another referee.
On 24 March, the German newsmagazine Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
broke a story that expanded the scope of the scandal far beyond Germany, and possibly to UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
headquarters. According to the report, Hoyzer told investigators that the gambling ring had the lists of referees and assistants who would work competitive international matches and fixtures in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
and UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
about a week in advance of the matches. UEFA does not publicize the officials list until two days before matches. The story also noted that only the UEFA referee manager and the 11 members of its referee commission were supposed to have advance knowledge of these names.
The criminal charges Hoyzer admitted to carried a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, although there was no mandatory jail term. On 17 November 2005, in a surprise verdict considering his co-operation with the enquiry, Hoyzer was jailed for 2 years 5 months. At the same time Marks was convicted and jailed for 1 year 6 months, and betting ring leader Ante Sapina was jailed for 2 years 11 months.
Hoyzer's actions have led the DFB to adopt new policies to prevent further such incidents. The federation imposed a blanket ban on betting on football matches, effective with the 2005–06 season, by anyone associated with the sport—players, coaches, referees and officials. The DFB initially committed to assigning referees to matches with only two days' notice, but settled on four days' notice once it determined that its original proposal was impractical.
In June 2006 the Austrian art and theory group monochrom
Monochrom
monochrom is an international art-technology-philosophy group, founded in 1993. Its offices are located at Museumsquartier/Vienna ....
created an exhibition about the Hoyzer case. The project dealt with the relationships between fraud and "business as usual", between corruption and commercialisation.
In the appeal against conviction and sentence, begun on 28 November 2006, in Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, there was surprise when the state prosecutor, Hartmut Schneider, found that although Hoyzer had cheated, he had not committed a criminal fraud, and called for Hoyzer's conviction to be overturned. However, on 15 December 2006, the court confirmed both the conviction and the sentence.