Byron Moreno
Encyclopedia
Byron Aldemar Moreno Ruales (born November 23, 1969 in Quito
) is a former Ecuador
ian football
referee, best known for officiating the Italy
vs South Korea match in the 2002 FIFA World Cup
.
and many others for Italy's elimination from the 2002 World Cup after being defeated by South Korea in the Round of 16. Members of the Italian team, most notably Italian striker Francesco Totti
and coach Giovanni Trapattoni
, suggested a conspiracy to eliminate Italy from the competition.
Trapattoni even obliquely accused that the official was ordered by FIFA to ensure a Korean victory so that one of the two host nations would remain in the tournament, which was not considered as being a good sport.
The most contentious decisions were an early penalty awarded to South Korea, a golden goal by Damiano Tommasi
ruled offside, and a second yellow card shown to Francesco Totti for an alleged dive.
President Sepp Blatter
stated that the linesmen have been a "disaster" and admitted that Italy suffered from bad offside calls from the group matches but denied conspiracy allegations. While ruing Totti's sending off by Moreno, Blatter refused to blame Italy's loss on Moreno but stated: "Italy's elimination is not only down to referees and linesmen who made human not premeditated errors... Italy made mistakes both in defense and in attack."
city council, was suspended for twenty matches. and investigated by Ecuadorian soccer authorities and FIFA
after a match he officiated between Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito
and Barcelona Sporting Club
from Guayaquil. With Liga de Quito trailing 3–2 at the end of the match, Moreno signalled six minutes of injury time, then allowed play to continue for thirteen minutes, during which Liga de Quito scored an equaliser in the 99th minute, then won the game in the 101st minute. Moreno was also accused of falsifying the minutes in which Liga de Quito scored their equalising and winning goals in his official match report.
In May 2003, in his third game back from his suspension, Moreno was again suspended, for one match, after he sent off three players from visiting Deportivo Quito
in a 1–1 draw at Deportivo Cuenca
. He retired the following month, blaming low performance marks for his retirement. Even after all this, he is still regarded as one of the worst referees to have ever been in the world cup.
in New York
, while trying to smuggle in six kilograms (over ten pounds) of heroin, which was hidden in his underwear. In January 2011, he pled guilty to the charges in a New York courthouse, facing a possible ten years in prison. On September 23, 2011 Moreno was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on the heroin smuggling charges.
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
) is a former Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
ian football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
referee, best known for officiating the Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
vs South Korea match in the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
.
Italy vs South Korea
Moreno was widely blamed by the Italian community, by the world of international footballand many others for Italy's elimination from the 2002 World Cup after being defeated by South Korea in the Round of 16. Members of the Italian team, most notably Italian striker Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
and coach Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni , sometimes known as "Trap" or "Il Trap", is an Italian football coach and former player, considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. As a player he was part of Italy's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup....
, suggested a conspiracy to eliminate Italy from the competition.
Trapattoni even obliquely accused that the official was ordered by FIFA to ensure a Korean victory so that one of the two host nations would remain in the tournament, which was not considered as being a good sport.
The most contentious decisions were an early penalty awarded to South Korea, a golden goal by Damiano Tommasi
Damiano Tommasi
Damiano Tommasi is an Italian former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He is the current president of the Italian Footballers' Association ....
ruled offside, and a second yellow card shown to Francesco Totti for an alleged dive.
FIFA Response
FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
President Sepp Blatter
Sepp Blatter
Joseph S. Blatter , commonly known as Sepp Blatter, is a Swiss football administrator, who serves as the 8th and current President of FIFA . He was elected on 8 June 1998, succeeding João Havelange. He was re-elected as President in 2002, 2007, and 2011...
stated that the linesmen have been a "disaster" and admitted that Italy suffered from bad offside calls from the group matches but denied conspiracy allegations. While ruing Totti's sending off by Moreno, Blatter refused to blame Italy's loss on Moreno but stated: "Italy's elimination is not only down to referees and linesmen who made human not premeditated errors... Italy made mistakes both in defense and in attack."
After the 2002 World Cup
In September 2002, Moreno, while a candidate in October elections for places on the QuitoQuito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
city council, was suspended for twenty matches. and investigated by Ecuadorian soccer authorities and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
after a match he officiated between Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito
Liga Deportiva Universitaria (Quito)
Liga Deportiva Universitaria de Quito —often referred to as LDU Quito, Liga de Quito, or simply la Liga— is an Ecuadorian professional football club based in Quito. They play in the Serie A, the highest level of the Ecuadorian professional football league...
and Barcelona Sporting Club
Barcelona Sporting Club
Barcelona Sporting Club is an Ecuadorian sports club based in Guayaquil, known best for its professional football team. They currently play in the Ecuadorian Serie A, the highest level of football in the country, and hold the distinction of being the only team to have never been relegated.With...
from Guayaquil. With Liga de Quito trailing 3–2 at the end of the match, Moreno signalled six minutes of injury time, then allowed play to continue for thirteen minutes, during which Liga de Quito scored an equaliser in the 99th minute, then won the game in the 101st minute. Moreno was also accused of falsifying the minutes in which Liga de Quito scored their equalising and winning goals in his official match report.
In May 2003, in his third game back from his suspension, Moreno was again suspended, for one match, after he sent off three players from visiting Deportivo Quito
Sociedad Deportivo Quito
Sociedad Deportivo Quito is a Ecuadorian professional football club based in Quito. They play in the Serie A, the highest level of the Ecuadorian professional football league....
in a 1–1 draw at Deportivo Cuenca
Club Deportivo Cuenca
Club Deportivo Cuenca is a Ecuadorian football club based in Cuenca. They currently play in the Serie A, the top-flight football league in the country, and is one of two clubs from Cuenca to have played in the top-flight ....
. He retired the following month, blaming low performance marks for his retirement. Even after all this, he is still regarded as one of the worst referees to have ever been in the world cup.
Criminal records
Moreno was arrested on September 21, 2010 at the John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, while trying to smuggle in six kilograms (over ten pounds) of heroin, which was hidden in his underwear. In January 2011, he pled guilty to the charges in a New York courthouse, facing a possible ten years in prison. On September 23, 2011 Moreno was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison on the heroin smuggling charges.