FORMER REFEREE Kurt Rothlisberger of Switzerland was banned for life yesterday by UEFA after being found guilty of attempting to fix a European Champions' League match.

A UEFA spokesman said Rothlisberger had tried to fix the 1996 second-leg tie between French first division side Auxerre and Swiss champions Grasshopper -Zurich. Auxerre had won the first leg 1-0.

According to UEFA, Rothlisberger contacted Grasshopper officials shortly before the match, saying he was a friend of the Belarus referee in charge of the match and that if they wanted he could fix the result. Rothlisberger, one of the world's best-known referees, is reported to have demanded over $600,000.

Grasshoppe'r officials immediately contacted UEFA who opened an inquiry. Auxerre went on to lose the match 3-1. UEFA said the investigation into Vadini Zkuk of Belarus, who refereed the match, is still not completed.

Rothlisberger was sent home from the 1994 World Cup after he failed to award Belgium a clear-cut penalty in their second-round match against Germany. Germany went on to win 3-2. Immediately after the match, FIFA president Joao Havelange promised that referees guilty of such bizarre errors would be sent home. Days later, Rothlisberger was sent packing.

However, it did not end his career. He was in charge of three matches during Euro `96 in England.