SGE pays the most
©IMAGO
The German Football Association has fined the 56 clubs from the top three leagues in the 2023/24 season a total of around 12.5 million euros, thereby drawing renewed criticism from the fan scene.
The penalties imposed by the DFB for various fan offenses in the previous season, of which almost 11 million euros were attributable to the 36 professional clubs in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga, related to both championship and cup games. The majority of judgments were made in connection with pyrotechnic incidents. Jost Peter, chairman of the fan alliance “Our Curve,” criticized the “dpa”: “Fan groups that value responsible use of pyrotechnics have been deprived of their arguments by the DFB’s practice. Irresponsible behavior resulted in the same punishment as engaging in dialogue and preparation.”
“Punishing for the sake of punishing has brought down the limits accepted in the stands when it comes to the use of pyrotechnics. According to the motto: No matter what happens, the punishment is always the same, firecrackers and recently also tracer ammunition are being used in the stands again, which should be rejected just as strictly as pyrotechnics that are used as weapons,” he said. For the future, Peter calls for a rethink by the association: “The DFB must recognize and publicly represent the difference between fan culture and rioting. The current criminal procedure needs to be fundamentally revised with the participation of relevant fan groups.” In addition, the DFB should anchor this process in the clubs in order to achieve stable agreements on site: “Other parties that are necessary can also be involved at this level, such as the police and law enforcement officers integrate effectively.”
Almost a million euros fine for Eintracht Frankfurt
Last season’s riot champions were Eintracht Frankfurt. The Hessians received a total of 918,950 euros from the DFB sports court. Behind them are Bundesliga relegated 1. FC Köln with 725,750 euros and second division team 1. FC Kaiserslautern with 673,100 euros. At Hannover 96 (609,940), Hamburger SV (520,800) and Hansa Rostock (519,280), the fines were also over half a million euros. In the 3rd league, 1. FC Saarbrücken leads the ranking with 213,800 euros, ahead of Waldhof Mannheim (205,610). Since the clubs are allowed to use part of the penalties imposed by the DFB for violence prevention measures, only just under 8 million euros ended up in the association’s account. Frankfurt, the sad frontrunner, transferred 614,250 euros. Cologne actually paid 489,180 euros, FCK 455,600 euros.
The DFB used the majority of the fines for charitable purposes. A total of 6 million euros went to football-related foundations in 2024. This was over a million euros more than the year before. “I am very pleased that we are securing and facilitating the important work of the foundations for the future,” said DFB Treasurer Stephan Grunwald. According to Peter, “funding of foundations is the only effective effect of pyro fines. But it gets an aftertaste when these fines completely fail to have any effect and, as with the issue of pyrotechnics, have more negative than regulatory effects.