On Thursday (January 9, 2025), the DFB sports court upheld VfL Bochum’s objection to the scoring of the game at Union Berlin and set the final result at 2-0 for VfL. The actual game ended 1-1. The point of contention was the throwing of a lighter.
Bochum’s goalkeeper Patrick Drewes was unable to continue playing in the game at Union Berlin on December 14, 2024 shortly before the final whistle because he was hit in the head by a lighter.
A fan threw the object towards the field. Drewes had to go to the hospital with dizziness and nausea. The game was interrupted for more than 25 minutes. Since Bochum had already exhausted its substitution quota, attacker Philipp Hofmann briefly went into goal. After the interruption, the Bochum team only went back onto the pitch in protest.
Extraordinary situation
The situation was unusual: one player could not continue playing, but the game was completed normally. If referee Petersen had stopped the game, the situation would have been clearer. So the sports court was faced with a difficult case.
The overall situation presented the court with several questions: Was there a decisive weakening of VfL Bochum so shortly before the final whistle? What significance does the apparent subsequent “non-aggression pact” between the teams have in the decision? Goalkeeper Drewes was hit by the lighter – but was the hit really serious?
“Hardly any other options”
The court now ruled, certified that the goalkeeper had “limited ability to play” and upheld VfL’s objection. “Decisions at the green table are always the last resort. But the circumstances left us with few other options”chairman Stephan Oberholz explained his decision: “We could not detect any aspects of a conspiracy or a smear theater.”
In the table, the previous bottom team Bochum now has eight points and is close to the safe places again. Union Berlin, now with 16 points in the lower midfield of the table, said it had identified the lighter thrower, filed a complaint and issued a three-year stadium ban.
Union appeals
Union Berlin announced on Thursday evening that it would not accept the defeat before the DFB sports court because of the lighter thrown in the game against VfL Bochum. The association wants to appeal, according to the executive board’s decision. This will subsequently be held at the Federal Court of the German Football Association.
“The actual unsportsmanlike scandal took place after the event 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 enormously damaging to football , but will not prevent the unacceptable throwing of objects.”