Points deducted because of pyrotechnics?
Interior ministers escalate rhetoric against fans before summit
September 26, 2024, 9:59 a.m
It seems to be one of the big problems in German stadiums. At least if you believe the latest statements from the interior ministers. After Joachim Herrmann from Bavaria, Ulrich Mäurer from Bremen is now also bringing point deductions into play for pyrotechnics. Just banter before the summit on October 18th?
Before the top meeting of the federal states with the DFB and DFL, Bremen’s Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer spoke out in favor of a changed penalty for pyrotechnic offenses in the stadiums and brought a point deduction into play. “A possible way would be to use the sports courts not to impose exclusive fines on clubs whose supporters have attracted negative attention due to violence or the setting off of pyrotechnics, but rather to impose the penalties predominantly in the form of point deductions for the relevant team,” said the SPD. Politicians on the Deichstube portal.
In this way, “on the one hand, the clubs would be hit in a much more sensitive manner and could thereby get them to carry out more consistent entry searches,” explained Mäurer. In addition, the perpetrators in the fan block are “under significantly greater pressure not to commit any more violations for the good of their team.” According to Mäurer, fines “have not had a corresponding effect, mostly because the perpetrators cannot be identified”.
Watzke: “That’s too much”
The sports and interior ministers of the federal states as well as Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser want to discuss the burning of pyrotechnics in football stadiums at a meeting with the German Football Association and the German Football League on October 18th. In Munich the focus will also be on how better action can be taken against violent fans in the future.
“The conversation offers a good opportunity to discuss issues relating to increased security, more effective prevention and possible sanctions together,” said Mäurer. He considers a higher penalty for pyrotechnics to be “not expedient” because this measure “usually achieves no or very little measurable effect.” Instead, Mäurer sees sanctioning as the responsibility of the DFB.
Most recently, DFL CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke reacted angrily to Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann’s criticism of German professional football’s handling of the issue of pyrotechnics in stadiums. “The fact that we have a problem cannot be dismissed out of hand. But I didn’t like the clear rhetoric that much. I also see a lot of problems in politics and don’t hit on them every day. That was a bit too much,” said Watzke of the “Bild” newspaper.
Frankfurt boss calls for realism
In an interview with “Sport-Bild”, Herrmann called for professional clubs to “massively distance themselves from violence and pyrotechnics” and threatened to play ghost games if football did not get the problem under control. At the same time, the CSU politician brought into play the introduction of personalized tickets in the Bundesliga, increased stadium bans for rioters and game abandonments as well as point deductions for clubs.
“I’ve already seen politicians try to cause big problems for football. I hope we don’t get to that point again,” said Watzke, referring to possible exclusions of spectators by local authorities, which Herrmann had threatened. The DFL boss was alluding to the ghost games ordered by politicians during the corona pandemic.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s board spokesman Axel Hellmann called for realism in the debate. “The pyrotechnics will not be completely removed from the stadiums,” he said. Rather, one must concentrate on ensuring that the games are played without violence.
