BERLIN -- A second referee "no doubt" fixed a soccer game in the scandal that has rocked Germany a little more than a year before it hosts the World Cup, a sports court said Thursday
Referee Dominick Marks was handed $4,800 in his kitchen to fix the game between amateur clubs, the German Soccer Federation's sports court said.
Until now, star witness and referee Robert Hoyzer -- who admitted to fixing or attempting to fix seven matches -- had only accused three other referees in his testimony to police.
The trio had strongly denied manipulating games to aid three Croatian brothers, whose betting scams are now suspected of extending beyond Germany to a UEFA Cup game in Greece.
The federation said the game in question was an Aug. 11 regional league contest between the amateur teams of Bundesliga clubs Hertha Berlin and Arminia Bielefeld.
"The result of the evidence showed there is no doubt that a game manipulation agreement was reached between Mr. Marks, Mr. Hoyzer and the Croatian brothers," Judge Rainer Koch said.
"I can personally attest to the fact he was involved," Koch added.
The court, however, ruled evidence wasn't strong enough to back Hoyzer's claims about a third referee accepting bribes.
Marks could face a lifetime ban as a referee and a hefty fine, which is what the federation has demanded as punishment for Hoyzer.
Hoyzer's confessions led to countrywide raids in the German scandal, the worst in 30 years and one threatening to overshadow preparations to host the sport's showcase event.
Berlin prosecutors are investigating 25 people, including 14 players and the four referees, who are suspected of rigging at least 10 games, mostly in lower divisions.
Elsewhere in Europe, five teams have been docked points in the Czech league for rigged games while a first-division game in Belgium is under investigation.
