IT WASN’T THAT LONG AGO THAT German football could look down its nose at the rest of Europe and tell itself that, while it was perhaps no longer the best, at least it was the cleanest. While others dealt with betting scandals, hooliganism, financial irregularities, corruption and illegal payments to agents and club officials, the Bundesliga was the epitome of rectitude. Whether it was the rigid vigilance of the authorities or the Germans’ stereotypical law-abiding nature and love of order, they could say proudly that they were different.

No more. Two seasons ago it emerged that Bayern Munich received illegal under-the-table payments from the German football league in exchange for agreeing to a new television deal. Last year, Borussia Dortmund, the club with the highest average attendance in Europe, were found to be struggling under the weight of enormous debts, much of them hidden away in “Chinese boxes” of dubious legality.

But perhaps the biggest blow came last week, when Robert Hoyzer, a referee, admitted taking bribes from a Croatian betting syndicate to fix a German Cup tie between Paderborn, of the third division, and SV Hamburg, a top-flight side, last August.

The match had come under scrutiny after Hoyzer sent off Emile Mpenza, the Hamburg striker, and awarded Paderborn two dubious penalties as the minnows beat the Bundesliga giants 4-2. Unusual betting patterns were reported, but German authorities found no evidence of wrongdoing until four referees reported that Hoyzer had boasted about “fixing” the result to his colleagues.

Hoyzer, who at 25 was thought to be one of Germany’s most promising referees and was being fast-tracked through the system, can blame his big mouth for getting himself in trouble. Horst Hilpert, the German FA official in charge of the investigation, was quick to douse the flames, saying: “It’s an isolated case, we don’t see any other black sheep.”

He couldn’t have been farther from the truth as a whole flock of alleged “black sheep” are now emerging. Like Hoyzer, they were frequent patrons of a Berlin establishment called Cafe King. Among them is another referee, and no fewer than three players from a professional team. According to reports, one of the three players backed his side to lose a match, pocketing some £60,000. Bizarrely, it is not illegal in Germany for footballers and referees to bet on matches in which they are involved, although that loophole is likely to be closed soon.

More revelations appear likely as investigators widen their net. Germany’s lilywhite image is in serious peril, only 16 months before it hosts the 2006 World Cup finals. Yet perhaps the sense of shock among Germans is somewhat excessive. After all, in 1971, a match-fixing scandal involving 53 footballers and seven clubs caused chaos in the West German game as players and officials were given life bans.

And, at the 1982 World Cup, West Germany and Austria appeared to “agree” a 1-0 result in their decisive first-round match that saw both teams qualify at the expense of Algeria, who complained bitterly.

Evidence that perhaps Germany was never so different from the rest of the world. Where human traits such as greed and vanity meet massive economic interests, there will always be a breeding ground for corruption.

It is up to men and women of character to ensure it does not take root.

Times Recommends

• Experts baffled by vanishing sea lions
• CIA caught in a dirty and secretive war
• Double life of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab