Felix Zweier is the referee appointed for the Euro 2024 semi-final between the Netherlands and England (the match will be played today, July 10). However, the referee’s biography contains many scandalous episodes.
The broadcast of the match between the Netherlands and England in the Russian Federation is available in the Okko online cinema.
Zweyer was involved in a match-fixing scandal. His disqualification only became known a few years later.
Zweier was involved in a major scandal in 2005. He was then an assistant referee to Robert Heutzer, who worked at matches in the Second Bundesliga, the Regionalliga and the German Cup. Robert was subsequently sentenced to two and a half years in prison and banned from judging for life. Why? Heuser was involved in organising match-fixing.
Zweyer also received a ban, but it was much less severe: only six months’ disqualification. This verdict was due to the fact that Felix handed Heuser over. According to Zweier, a colleague asked him to influence the outcome of the second Bundesliga match between Rot-Weiss Essen and Cologne. “When I received Heutzer’s offer, I immediately shared the information with other referees. I would like to emphasise that I have resolutely rejected Robert’s plan,” Zweier said.
Felix Zweier at Euro 2024
Photo: Tom Weller/Picture Alliance via Getty Images
The fact that Felix was suspended for six months only became known in 2014. This detail was kept secret until the newspaper Die Zeit gained access to a secret document from the German Football Association. Key points of the motivational part:
Zweier behaved disrespectfully towards the sport. In 2004, he accepted a bribe of 300 euros from Heutzer to “avoid critical situations for Wuppertal in a match against Werder Bremen’s second team. It can be safely assumed that Zweier accepted the money and did not resist, which could be the case.” You cannot expect decent referees. For a long time, Zweier did not report any match-fixing involving Heutzer, as far as he knew.
The verdict was handed down by Munich criminal judge Rainer Koch. He acknowledged that Zweier contributed to the settlement of the case. In addition, it could not be proven that Felix made intentional mistakes in individual matches. But considering the text of the verdict, one thing is clear: the German Football Association believes that Zweier received a bribe. Felix accepted the verdict and also avoided further trials and publicity. According to the newspaper Die Zeit, this was tactically sensible. Otherwise, Zweier’s career could have been different.
Why did the English coach attack journalists?
Southgate blamed the press, Deschamps is ready to bench Griezmann. What’s going on in the Euros?
Felix stopped the Bundesliga match for 10 minutes. All because of the coach’s refusal to leave the field
Another memorable moment associated with Zweier took place in 2016. Borussia Dortmund then beat Bayer 1-0 in the Bundesliga, but the match was remembered in a different way. Halfway through the second half, Zweier sent Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt off the field. He believed that Borussia had played the free kick wrong, which led to the only goal. Disputes with the referee led to the coach being dismissed. But Schmidt refused to leave the field. “I wanted to understand why the referee sent me off,” the coach explained his behaviour. “I tried to discuss it with him, but I never got around to it.”
Felix Zweyer and Roger Schmidt (in suits)
Photo: Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images
As a result, Zweier himself left the field, taking his assistants with him. A little later, the players also went to the sub-stand. The match was only resumed after almost 10 minutes. The refereeing team returned to the field and Schmidt left the bench. Incidentally, Zweier acted within the rules. According to the statutes of the German Football Association, a match must be suspended if any of the participants does not comply with the referee’s decision.
“There was absolutely no need to interrupt the game and cause this disturbance. The referee acted as if something terrible had happened. His measures were exaggerated,” said Bayer sporting director Rudi Völler after the match.
Schmidt later admitted his guilt: “Yes, the referee had a reason to send me off. The protests were probably inappropriate. I demanded an explanation, it was my mistake. I misjudged the situation.”
The admission of guilt did not save Schmidt from a five-match ban (two of which were suspended). He was also fined 20,000 euros.
Bellingham recalled Zwyer’s scandalous past. The referee then suspended his race.
2021 And again the scandal involving Zweier in a Borussia Dortmund match. This time the team loses to Bayern (2-3) and the referee makes several controversial decisions. Borussia was unhappy because Zweyer did not award a pair of penalties against Bayern. And sanctioned a penalty in favor of the opponent. The Borussia coach pointed out the red card and after the match Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham could not contain himself.
“In my opinion, this is not a penalty. The ball fell into the hand of Hummels, who was fighting for position at that moment. He didn’t even look at the ball. Pay attention to other decisions in the match. Name a person who participated in the organization of match-fixing in the main Bundesliga match. What are you waiting for?” the Englishman was indignant after the match.
Jude Bellingham (left) and Felix Zwyer
Photo: Bernd Thyssen/Picture Alliance via Getty Images
“I thought Hummels touched the ball with his hand at the corner. The only question is whether he was in a natural position. I discussed the episode with the video assistants. They checked the position of his arm and said he was in an unnatural position. I reviewed the moment: Hummels hit the ball with his elbow. That’s why I awarded a penalty,” the referee explained after the match.
Borussia Dortmund director general Hans-Joachim Watzke supported Bellingham: “The boy is only 18 years old. He spoke vehemently after the big game. There was no point in rehashing old events. But I don’t see anything criminal here.”
Bellingham scored one of the most beautiful goals of this Euro Cup:
Bellingham’s diving goal saved England! The coolest comeback of Euro 2024
However, Bellingham did not avoid a fine: he had to pay 40 thousand euros. Apparently, Zweier is a rather sensitive person. Firstly, he does not like people to remember the bribery scandal. Secondly, after the story with Bellingham, Felix even suspended his career. For what? To recover mentally.
Following the news of Zweyer’s appointment for the European Championship semi-final, the English media recalled the scandalous pages of the referee’s life. There were even rumours that UEFA would change the referee. But the Union carried out a review and approved Felix’s appointment.
Jude Bellingham will now face the referee again
Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
“We must respect UEFA’s decision on which referees they select for the matches. This will not change anything for the England team. We are only concentrating on the game and not on the referees,” said England defender Luke Shaw.
Zweyer has already worked in three matches at the European Championships. In the group stage, he was given the matches between Italy and Albania (2:1, 1st round) and Turkey and Portugal (0:3, 3rd round). In addition, Felix worked in the round of 16 match between Romania and the Netherlands (0:3). So far, he has not given a single penalty and has not shown a single red card. I wonder what Bellingham will say about the referee after the European Championship semi-final.
At this European Championship, referees have already made controversial decisions:
Exclusive
Scandalous refereeing in the Euro quarter-finals! Germany did not receive a penalty and Kroos was not sent off
