VfL Bochum have been allowed to keep the win they were awarded after Patrick Drewes was struck by a lighter thrown from the stands in a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin in December.
| Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images |
In January, VfL Bochum were awarded a 2-0 victory over Union Berlin after their goalkeeper, Patrick Drewes, was struck in the head by a lighter thrown from the stands during a 1-1 draw between the two teams in December.
The court supported Bochum’s appeal against the referee’s decision to allow the game to continue after a 30-minute break, determining that the incident unfairly impaired Drewes’ “ability to play”.
Union Berlin, Holstein Kiel, and FC St. Pauli all appealed the decision, but the German Football Association (DFB) has now confirmed that Bochum will keep the three points.
“The decision of the DFB Sports Court is free from legal errors and is based on the provisions of the DFB Legal and Procedural Regulations,” said Udo Steiner, chairman of the arbitration court.
“The match was not abandoned, but it was resumed. However, the involved teams mutually agreed to refrain from scoring any further goals. Therefore, the arbitration court has regarded this case as a de facto abandonment of the game and equated it to an official match abandonment by the referee.”
The three points could prove crucial for Bochum’s survival hopes. With three games remaining, the bottom club have a four-point gap to the relegation playoff spot.
