Union Berlin appeals: "This ruling is hugely damaging to football"

Dirk Zingler and the executive committee of Union Berlin do not want to accept the decision of the sports court.

Picture: Andreas Gora/dpa

Union Berlin will not accept the retrospective defeat at the green table. The club is appealing to the Federal Court. The club president explains the reasons.

DPA

09.01.2025, 22:17

1. FC Union Berlin does not want to accept the defeat at the DFB sports court because of the lighter throw in the match against VfL Bochum. The club intends to appeal. This was decided by the presidium on Thursday evening, according to a statement.

Bundesliga

Forfeit win for Bochum after match abandoned at Union Berlin

The DFB sports court had previously ruled in favor of Bochum in an oral hearing. The match, which ended 1:1 on the pitch on December 14, is to be scored 2:0 in favor of the visiting team. The appeal will now be held at the Federal Court of the German Football Association.

No evidence of "dirty comedy"

"The real unsportsmanlike scandal took place after the incident on the pitch and today in court," said Union president Dirk Zingler: "We will therefore exhaust all legal means at our disposal and take action against today's verdict. This verdict is hugely damaging to football, but will not prevent the unacceptable throwing of objects."

Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was hit on the head by a lighter shortly before the end of the match. He was unable to finish the game. "We did not have the necessary evidence for a special acting performance by Mr. Drewes or for a conspiracy or a dirty trick," said Stephan Oberholz, chairman of the panel, after the three-hour hearing at the DFB campus.