UEFA have appointed German referee Felix Zwayer as the referee for the Euro 2024 semi-final clash between England and the Netherlands on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.
Zwayer has in the past been found guilty of match-fixing and slammed with a six-month ban in 2005 for receiving a bribe of €300 from another official.
England’s Jude Bellingham has previously also been hammered with a fine of €40,000 for publicly questioning the integrity of Felix Zwayer.
This fine on Bellingham came after Borussia Dortmund were beaten by Bayern Munich in December 2021.
Following the league encounter, Zwayer was lambasted for not handing Dortmund a penalty and dismissing erstwhile Black and Yellows boss Marco Rose in the 79th minute of proceedings.
Jude Bellingham’s Comments About Felix Zwayer
Jude Bellingham also made reference to the match-fixing incident which led to Felix Zwayer’s ban in 2005.
Bellingham said: “You give a referee that has match fixed before the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?”
He took a break from refereeing following the controversy before returning in February 2022 in a 2. Bundesliga game between Hannover 96 and SV Darmstadt.
Felix Zwayer’s Match-fixing Scandal
The match-fixing scandal involving Zwayer centered around a Bundesliga second division referee Robert Hoyzer, who took bribes to fix several matches that he officiated.
Zwayer assisted him in an encounter and accepted a bribe of 300 euros to avoid critical scenes for German side Wuppertaler SV.
In January 2005, Felix Zwayer alongside three other high-ranking referees informed the DFB about Hoyzer’s match-fixing, which resulted in his six-month ban.
England Vs The Netherlands
The encounter involving England and the Netherlands is expected to be fiercely contested as both nations battle to secure a spot in the final.
Definitely, it promises to be a dramatic game where emotions could be at boiling point and it will be interesting to see how referee Zwayer adjudicates the affair.
The Three Lions are aiming to make it to the final in back-to-back European Championship tournaments, having done so in the previous edition played in 2021.
The Netherlands are also aspiring to reach the final for the first time since 1988, when they won it in Germany, defeating the Soviet Union 2-0 in the final.
England have never won the UEFA European Championship and they look to halt their trophyless run since 1966, when they beat West Germany 4-2 to win the FIFA World Cup on home soil.
Ronald Koeman and Gareth Southgate’s side have had contrasting showing at the tournament thus far, with the former playing a brand of attacking football, as they continually grow in the tournament.
The Three Lions on the other hand have put up an epileptic display at Euro 2024, although they can be excused for accentuating what can be termed as “tournament football”.
Who Is Felix Zwayer – Referee For England And The Netherlands Euro 2024 Game, Overview On His Refereeing Career?
Meanwhile, Feliz Zwayer was born on May 19, 1981, and he is a German football referee who is based in Berlin.
The 43-year-old is a FIFA referee and he is ranked as a UEFA elite category referee.
According to Wikipedia, He referees for SC Charlottenburg of the Berlin Football Association.
In April 2018, Zwayer was picked by FIFA as one of the video assistant referees for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the first FIFA World Cup to use the technology.
Felix Zwayer started officiating on the DFB level in 2004, before being promoted to officiate in the 2. Bundesliga in 2007, which also saw him receive the chance to act in the capacity of an assistant referee in the Bundesliga.
Two years later, the German referee was promoted to handle Bundesliga matches for the 2009/10 season.
Zwayer has been listed as a FIFA referee since 2012 and has received a mix-match of appraisals for his decisions.
Felix Zwayer took charge of the 2023 UEFA Nations League Final between Croatia and Spain on June 18, 2023.
The referee for England and the Netherlands Euro 2024 encounter, who was born and lives in Berlin is also a real estate broker.
