UEFA has stirred controversy by appointing German referee Felix Zwayer to officiate the Euro 2024 semi-final between England and the Netherlands in Dortmund. Zwayer, 43, has a checkered history, having been involved in a match-fixing scandal back in 2005, which resulted in a six-month ban from officiating.
In addition to his past controversy, Zwayer took a two-month hiatus from refereeing in 2021 following a contentious Bundesliga match known as ‘Der Klassiker’ between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich at Signal Iduna Park. During that match, Zwayer denied Dortmund’s appeals for a penalty but awarded Bayern a spot-kick for a handball by Mats Hummels. This decision drew criticism, including from former Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham, who questioned Zwayer’s integrity.
Bellingham’s statement at the time highlighted concerns over Zwayer’s past involvement in match-fixing and his subsequent assignment to high-profile matches. “You give a referee, who has been implicated in match-fixing before, the biggest game in Germany. What do you expect?” Bellingham remarked, expressing skepticism about the fairness of Zwayer’s officiating.
Despite these controversies, UEFA has defended its decision to appoint Zwayer for such a pivotal match in Euro 2024. The appointment has reignited debates about referee integrity and the governing body’s criteria for selecting officials for major tournaments. As the semi-final approaches, scrutiny over Zwayer’s performance and the implications of his past actions continue to dominate discussions among football enthusiasts and analysts alike.
