Oral Arguments in Disputed Union Berlin-Bochum Match Set for February
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Loading... - Shannon Bell
- 07 Feb 2025
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Oral arguments regarding the controversial Bundesliga match between FC Union Berlin and VfL Bochum are scheduled for February 28, 2025. The German Football Association (DFB) has officially accepted Union's appeal and will hear the case at 12:30 PM on the DFB campus in Frankfurt. Notably, two additional Bundesliga clubs, Holstein Kiel and St. Pauli, have joined Union in filing the appeal.
The match in question took place on December 14, 2024, and was marred by an incident involving a flare thrown by a spectator, which struck Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes in the back of the head during injury time of the second half. At that point, the score was tied at 1-1. Following the incident, play was suspended for 25 minutes. Drewes was unable to continue, and his teammates expressed their unwillingness to finish the match. Despite acknowledging Bochum's protest, match official Martin Petersen ordered the game to resume, with VfL striker Philipp Hofmann temporarily taking on the role of goalkeeper. The match ultimately concluded in a 1-1 draw.
After the match, Bochum's managing director Ilja Känzig announced that the club would petition the DFB for all three points, arguing that their ability to compete had been compromised. On January 9, 2025, DFB sports court chairman Stephan Oberholz awarded Bochum a 3-0 victory based on the circumstances surrounding the match.
This decision sparked significant controversy among various Bundesliga clubs and the wider German football community. Critics argued that awarding points "am grünen Tisch" (bureaucratically) felt unjust, especially since the match was nearly complete. The decision also raised concerns about fairness in the relegation race, as it provided an advantage to Bochum at the expense of other teams fighting to avoid relegation.
In response to these concerns, Kiel and St. Pauli joined Union in appealing Oberholz's ruling. According to Paragraph 26, line two of the DFB’s legal and procedural regulations, these clubs could file alongside Union if they could demonstrate a "direct legitimate interest in the decision."
The DFB Federal Court will assess whether the parties involved are directly affected by the decision during its upcoming meeting. Following this assessment, the court will issue a separate ruling regarding Bochum's awarded 2-0 victory.
As the date for the oral arguments approaches, all eyes will be on the DFB to see how they will address this contentious issue and its implications for the Bundesliga standings.
