German police will launch a criminal investigation into Jude Bellingham’s statements, a spokesperson has confirmed to Sky Deutschland. The midfielder of Borussia Dortmund made a negative statement after the lost top match against Bayern Munich (2-3) about referee Felix Zwayer, who confronted a past as a match fixer. Authorities are expected to issue a ruling later this week.
Bellingham was furious about the penalty that eventually gave Bayern the victory in Dortmund. At a 2-2 score, Mats Hummels unfortunately got the ball against the arm in a header, after which Zwayer gave Bayern a penalty. “What else do you expect when you give Germany’s biggest match to someone who previously did match fixing?” Bellingham reacted in front of the camera of viaplay. It was already announced on Sunday that DFB observer Marco Haase had filed a complaint against Bellingham.
BILD writes that prosecutors will investigate in the coming days whether Bellingham can be prosecuted for policy, nachrede und verleumdung, which translates as insult, libel and slander. Bellingham was referring to a 2005 match-fixing case in which Zwayer was involved. The latter then took a bribe of three hundred euros to ensure that 2. Bundesliga club Wuppertaler SV would not lose as a linesman. Zwayer was banned for six months by the German Football Association. The suspension was initially kept secret, but came out years later thanks to the German newspaper Die Zeit.
Charges against Bellingham after match fixing ruling on referee Zwayer
On Sunday it was already announced that the DFB had filed a complaint against Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham must fear criminal prosecution with his statements. Anton Nachreiner has on SID let it be known that the disciplinary committee of the DFB will also investigate the statements of the eighteen-year-old midfielder. “His statement is not wrong, although he doesn’t have to say it,” said Hans-Joachim Watzke, Borussia Dortmund’s general manager, Bellingham. “This comes from emotions. Jude didn’t offend anyone, he just stated a fact. I can’t imagine that this will have any adverse consequences for him.”
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