DFB sports court is judged
Game manipulation: Long lock for trainers
28.08.2025 – 4:24 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The allegations against Marco Antwerp and his assistant weighed hard. Now it is clear: Both will no longer be able to be active in German football for a long time.
After hours of negotiation, the DFB sports court made a judgment with a signaling effect: Marco Antwerpen and Frank Döpper were blocked for attempted manipulation of the game. The decision was made on Wednesday evening under the direction of Stefan Oberholz – and now has far -reaching consequences for both coaches.
Antwerp is not allowed to train a team for one year. His long -time assistant Döpper was closed for three months. The DFB control committee had originally demanded significantly harder punishments-including a 14-month lock and a fine of 3,000 euros for Antwerp. But the court remained under this request.
The defense was disappointed: lawyer Horst Ketke had pleaded for an acquittal. But the sports court under the direction of Stefan Oberholz saw the facts differently. “In contrast to defense, we assume that both attempted to affect the course of the game,” Oberholz explained the punishment imposed.
At the center of the case is the State Cup final of May 24th. Osnabrück’s head coach Antwerpen at the time is said to have asked athletic trainer Tim Schütte twice to get a mission at the then Lohne player Bernd Rießelmann.
Schütte said in court that he felt under pressure through Antwerp – and finally met the wish. “It was neither my wish nor my decision to ask him to do so,” said the 25-year-old. Antwerp and Döpper vehemently contested this.
Nevertheless, the court came to the conclusion: Both coaches had inadmissible on Schütte, with the aim of intervening at Rießelmann. Oberholz said the attempt was largely assumed by Antwerp.
Rießelmann, borrowed from VfL Osnabrück to Blau-Weiß Lohne, immediately rejected the attempt to influence and informed his consultant. The 21-year-old said: he was supposed to pretend an injury. “I was stunned and couldn’t believe it.” Rießelmann was still on the pitch in the cup final and even scored a goal in the 4-2 victory of the outsider.
Before the verdict, VfL Osnabrück had drawn consequences: The club terminated Antwerp and Döpper on May 27th without notice – just a few days after their contracts had automatically extended until 2027 after relegation.
Both trainers are now complaining to this termination before the labor court. A first quality date remained with no result. The negotiation is scheduled to take place in mid -December.