The referee at the center of German football's match-fixing scandal says a gambling ring knew in advance which referees would officiate at Euro Champions League and international matches.
Robert Hoyzer, who has admitted taking bribes to rig games, told investigators he saw the list of referees in a car belonging to a Berlin cafe owned by three Croatian brothers alleged to have run the scam.
According to Thursday's Der Spiegel magazine, the brothers had lists of referees and UEFA delegates about a week before Champions League, UEFA Cup and national team games. The brothers were reported to have told Hoyzer they obtained the lists through good sources.
Der Spiegel said Hoyzer's claims will cause distress at UEFA, European football's ruling body, because only 11 members of the UEFA's referee commission and referee manager Yvan Cornu are supposed to know the names in advance.
Berlin prosecutors are investigating 25 people, including four referees and 14 players, on suspicion of rigging at least 10 games, mostly in lower divisions.
