German match-rigging referee set for prison release

Robert Hoyzer, the German referee at the centre of the worst match-fixing scandal to hit the Bundesliga, is due out of prison on Friday after serving half of his two year and five month sentence.

Hoyzer was convicted back in November 2005 after admitting to rigging matches for a Croatian mafia circle.

The 28-year-old's revelations rocked the German football scene as it prepared to host the 2006 World Cup with the German Football Federation estimating the affair had cost them 750,000 euros.

In April Hoyzer, in a deal with the Federation, promised to pay them 700 euros a month over the next 15 years, with that sum of 126,000 euros being put towards social projects.

The matches concerned were mainly in the German second and third division, but a German Cup match between first division SV Hamburg and third division Paderborn and a first division match in Turkey between Ankaragucu and Galatasaray were also affected.

Hoyzer claimed he had received 70,000 euros for fixing matches.

He received death threats after admitting his guilt on television.

Aside from his criminal conviction he was banned for life by the Federation.

Confirming his imminent release his solicitors' office issued a statement Thursday saying: “Robert Hoyzer is going to leave the Hakenfelde detention centre after having served half of his prison sentence of two years and five months.

“Mr Hoyzer is delighted to regain his liberty and to be able to begin a new life as soon as possible. We ask the media to respect the wishes of our client not to talk publically.”

Also caught up in the scandal was Ante Sapina, the head of the Croatian betting ring, and his two brothers, and another former referee, Dominik Marks.

Marks was given an 18-month suspended sentence for his role in rigging matches.