Unsurprisingly, the German footballing public is not on board with the ruling issued today in the case of a disputed December Bundesliga match between Union Berlin and Bochum. The outcry over Bochum receiving three points “am grünen Tisch” (a German phrase that translates to “bureaucratically”) has been steadily loud in the German press and on social media. 

The case in question remains very tricky. The matchday 14 encounter between Bochum and Union Berlin at the Stadion an der alten Försterei entered second half injury time tied 1-1. Referee Martin Petersen nevertheless had to suspend proceedings after a flare from a Union spectator hit keeper Patrick Drewes in the back of the head. 

After a 25-minute delay, the final minutes were played with a protest from the Bochum players duly noted. Bochum then appealed the result, arguing that – after exhausting all five substitutions – a chance to potentially win the match had been lost. Early in January, Bochum were awarded all three points via a declared 2-0 victory. 

Today’s ruling made no effort to disguise the fact that Bochum were awarded the points based on the importance of drawing a strict line with regard to the matter of pyrotechnics being thrown onto the pitch. The sporting arguments from both sides played virtually no role.

It was such that – in announcing another final appeal – Union President Dirk Zingler groused that a political statement overruled the importance of legal precedence. A snap poll by Kicker confirms German football lovers concur with this.

As of 23:00 German time on Friday evening, over 134,000 German football fans had registered their opinion. Some 88,000 (or 65 percent) of participants believed that Bochum should not have been awarded the points. 

GGFN | Peter Weis