AUDIO: Drunk driving: HSV suspends professional dompé (1 min)
Football Bundesliga
As of: January 29, 2026 2:47 p.m
Hamburger SV can’t calm down before the Bundesliga clash against FC Bayern Munich. HSV professional Jean-Luc Dompé lost his driving license because of drunk driving. The club then suspended the Frenchman until further notice.
“After discussions with those responsible for the sport, the winger has been excluded from training and playing with the professional team due to significant misconduct,” HSV announced on Thursday afternoon.
In the conversation, Dompé “strongly made clear his responsibility as a professional and role model as well as a representative of the club.” HSV wants to decide on further consequences after further internal consultations have been completed.
Dompé drove a red light…
The Frenchman was checked by police in downtown Hamburg last Sunday after he ran a red light. “Based on the results of a voluntary breath alcohol test, a blood sample was taken,” the police said, adding that the result was still pending. The 30-year-old’s driver’s license was confiscated. According to NDR information, Dompé’s alcohol test showed 1.4 per mille.
… and then despite 1.4 per mille with an e-scooter
Dompé is also said to have ridden away on an e-scooter after being released from police custody. “Criminal investigations are now underway into both cases,” police confirmed. The same blood alcohol limits apply to driving e-scooters as when driving a car.
Most recently, HSV’s separation from its sports director Stefan Kuntz due to allegations of sexual harassment had a hard time on the club’s mind.
Polzin: “Nobody is bigger than the club”
Coach Merlin Polzin made a clear statement at the press conference for the home game on Saturday (6:30 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter) against leaders FC Bayern Munich: “What can be clearly seen in our reaction: Nobody is bigger than the club. There are fixed patterns of behavior that we follow. Everyone makes mistakes – the important thing is to learn from them,” said Polzin and announced further discussions for the coming week: “Then we will speak calmly and without emotions and communicate the next steps to him and everyone else. That’s it The topic has been ticked off for me – as hard as it sounds.”
“The disappointment is great.”
HSV coach Merlin Polzin about Jean-Luc Dompé
It is the second traffic offense during Dompé’s time in Hamburg. The Frenchman, who has a contract with HSV until 2027, had already caused trouble in 2023 and was involved in a hit-and-run accident. He crashed his car into a bus stop. For this he received a penalty notice and had to pay a fine of 45,000 euros. Accordingly, Polzin said: “The disappointment and the responsibility that he did not take in the case is great.”
Big personnel concerns against Bayern Munich
In terms of sport, it is a big loss that Dompé will not be available against Bayern on Saturday (6.30 p.m., in the NDR Livecenter) – especially in view of the numerous failures that are plaguing and threatening the promoted team: In addition to the injured Yussuf Poulsen and Alexander Rössing-Lelesiit, Damion Downs (calf problems), Fabio Baldé (tendon irritation) and Robert Glatzel (ill) were only able to train partially.
