Dispute over lighter throwing
DFB court rejects St. Pauli’s appeal
28.02.2025 – 2:33 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Legal setback in the relegation battle for FC St. Pauli: The objection of the “Kiezkicker” against the evaluation of the scandal game between Union Berlin and Bochum remains unsuccessful.
FC St. Pauli had to take a defeat in the legal dispute over the evaluation of the scandal game between Union Berlin and VfL Bochum. The Federal Supreme Court of the German Football Association (DFB) dismissed the Kiezkicker’s objection and Holstein Kiel on Friday.
FC St. Pauli had interfered in the legal dispute as the fourth of the table, since the decision has a direct impact on the relegation battle. The rating gives Bochum two more points, which could have a decisive impact on the table constellation. St. Pauli and Kiel argued that this decision endangered the integrity of the competition.
However, the federal court did not follow this reasoning. Judge Oskar Riedmeyer said that associations had a legitimate interest in fair decisions, but the circle of the authorized persons should not be pulled too far. “This would be a non -practicable way,” the court explained his decision.
The game between Union Berlin and Bochum was interrupted on December 14th in the 92nd minute after Bochum’s goalkeeper Patrick Drewes had been hit by a lighter thrown out of the Union. The sports court had then decided to evaluate the game 2-0 for Bochum instead of maintaining the 1-1-end result.
Particularly explosive: On the last matchday of the season, FC St. Pauli meets VfL Bochum. The current evaluation could ensure that the game will be a real final for relegation. St. Pauli’s objection should prevent that – but the Federal Supreme Court did not allow him.
Bochum’s lawyer Christoph Schickhardt was not very surprised by St. Pauli and Kiel’s objection. “Stop morality and sporting integrity – you are only concerned with the points,” he said in the direction of the opposing legal representation.