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German football match-fixing affair deepens

8 February 2005

HAMBURG – Goalkeeper Marco Eckstein is under suspicion of having manipulated a third division match of Sachsen Leipzig against Dynamo Dresden last season, a lawyer said on Tuesday.

Lawyer Endrick Wilhelm, who represents another suspect in the affair, Dresden goalkeeper Ignjac Kresic, said that referee Robert Hoyzer made the accusations in files provided by Berlin prosecutors.

Wilhelm said the files revealed that Eckstein was accused of making sure that Leipzig lost the game played on May 9, 2004. Leipzig lost 3-1, with Eckstein reportedly playing poorly and sent off when Dresden were 3-0 up.

Eckstein, who now plays for fourth division Meuselwitz, was not available for comment.

Hoyzer has admitted to manipulation of four games and said that other referees and players are involved in the scandal as well in which games were rigged to allow successful bets on them.

More than 10 matches are under investigation and three men have been arrested.

DPA

Subject: German news