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England v Netherlands: Bellingham reacquainted with referee at centre of fixing scandal
Felix Zwayer, who was banned for six months over his part in a match-fixing scandal, will take charge of England's clash with the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham referenced Zwayer's ban in a post-match interview in December 2021, leading to the German referee taking a two-month break from officiating.
Zwayer, 43, will lead an all-German refereeing team for the game at Molineux, which is part of England's preparations for the World Cup in Qatar.
It will be the first time Bellingham, who is expected to start for England, has played in a match officiated by Zwayer since the controversial incident.
Zwayer was banned for six months in 2011 for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal in the German lower leagues.
The German Football Association (DFB) found that Zwayer had accepted bribes from Robert Hoyzer, a former referee who was convicted of rigging matches.
Zwayer has always denied any wrongdoing, but the DFB found that he had "breached his duty of loyalty" to the association.
After serving his ban, Zwayer returned to officiating in the Bundesliga and has since refereed several high-profile matches, including the 2021 Champions League final.
However, his appointment to referee England v Netherlands has raised eyebrows, given his history.
It remains to be seen whether Bellingham will make any reference to Zwayer's past when he speaks to the media ahead of the game.
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