Byron Moreno

During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Moreno refereed the round of 16 match between tournament favourites Italy and co-hosts South Korea on June 18. Following Italy's elimination from the tournament after a 2–1 extra time loss, Moreno's performance was criticised for several decisions: he awarded South Korea a controversial penalty in the first half (which eventually failed to capitalise) and later disallowed a possible golden goal by Damiano Tommasi for a non existent offside, as well as showing a second yellow card to Francesco Totti for an arguable dive in South Korea's penalty area in the first half extra time while he was 37 meters away from play.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2255952.stm | work=BBC News | title=Fifa investigates Moreno | date=13 September 2002 | access-date=12 June 2006 | archive-date=28 September 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928152109/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2255952.stm | url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/sports/sports-of-the-times-soccer-referees-on-run-and-they-can-t-hide.html|title=Soccer Referees on Run, and They Can't Hide|work=The New York Times|date=21 June 2002|access-date=29 December 2017|archive-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620075801/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/21/sports/sports-of-the-times-soccer-referees-on-run-and-they-can-t-hide.html|url-status=live}}

In September 2002, while seeking election to the Quito City Council, Moreno was suspended for twenty matches{{cite web |url=http://www.soccernet.com/global/news/2002/0911/20020911referee.html |title=Referee suspended for 20 matches |access-date=6 August 2006 |date=11 September 2002 |publisher=Soccernet |archive-date=16 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070216134954/http://www.soccernet.com/global/news/2002/0911/20020911referee.html |url-status=live }} and investigated by Ecuadorian football authorities.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2255952.stm |title=FIFA investigates Moreno |access-date=6 August 2006 |date=13 September 2002 |publisher=Soccernet |archive-date=28 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928152109/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2255952.stm |url-status=live }} This came after he made timekeeping errors in a match he officiated between L.D.U. Quito and Barcelona S.C. FIFA also investigated him due to controversies "...in Japan, Italy and South America over the past few months".

In May 2003, in his third game back from suspension, Moreno was again suspended, this time for one match, after he sent off three players from visiting Deportivo Quito in a 1–1 draw with Deportivo Cuenca.{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=3503484 |title=Controversial ref suspended again |access-date=6 August 2006 |date=23 May 2003 |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |archive-date=27 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327182841/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/ |url-status=dead }} He retired the following month, blaming low performance marks for his retirement.{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/2003/06/10/latin_rdp/ |title=Ecuador ref Moreno complains at low marks |access-date=6 August 2006 |date=10 June 2003 |publisher=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031016194126/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/2003/06/10/latin_rdp/ |archive-date=16 October 2003}}

Moreno was arrested on 21 September 2010 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City while trying to smuggle in six kilograms (over thirteen pounds) of heroin, which was hidden in his underwear.{{cite web |url=http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2010/09/21/news/moreno_arrestato-7299927/ |title=L'arbitro che eliminò l'Italia da Corea 2002 arrestato a New York con sei chili di eroina |access-date=21 September 2010 |date=21 September 2010 |publisher=La Repubblica |archive-date=24 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924085045/http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2010/09/21/news/moreno_arrestato-7299927/ |url-status=live }} In January 2011, he pleaded guilty to the charges in a New York courthouse, facing a possible ten years in prison.{{Cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/82/south-america/2011/01/13/2304681/ex-referee-byron-moreno-pleads-guilty-to-heroin-smuggling |title=Ex-Referee Byron Moreno Pleads Guilty To Heroin Smuggling |access-date=9 March 2011 |archive-date=26 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826212939/https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/82/south-america/2011/01/13/2304681/ex-referee-byron-moreno-pleads-guilty-to-heroin-smuggling |url-status=live }} On 23 September 2011, Moreno was sentenced to {{frac|2|1|2}} years in prison on the heroin smuggling charges.{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/soccer/news/story?id=7008635 |title=Ex-referee sentenced to 2½ years |access-date=23 September 2011 |archive-date=26 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926224825/http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/soccer/news/story?id=7008635 |url-status=live }}

He was released from prison 26 months later and returned to Ecuador.{{Cite web |url=http://elcomercio.com/seguridad/deportacion-byron-moreno-trafico-drogas_0_821917992.html |title="Byron Moreno enfrenta otra indagación" |access-date=4 December 2012 |archive-date=6 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121206050259/http://www.elcomercio.com/seguridad/deportacion-byron-moreno-trafico-drogas_0_821917992.html |url-status=dead }}

{{reflist}}

{{wikinews|Former Ecuadorian football referee Byron Moreno arrested for drug smuggling}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20020810173131/http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/en/t/rf/41050.html 2002 FIFA World Cup profile] (archive)

{{2002 FIFA World Cup referees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moreno, Byron}}

Category:Ecuadorian football referees

Category:Ecuadorian drug traffickers

Category:Sports controversies

Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:Copa América referees

Category:Sportspeople from Quito

Category:2002 FIFA World Cup referees

Category:People convicted of drug offenses

Category:Sportspeople convicted of crimes