German football body probes fan protests and pyrotechnic displays during Bayern Munich’s cup final win over Stuttgart.
GERMAN Football Federation (DFB) has announced it will investigate fan protests culminating in the lighting of large amounts of pyrotechnics by both sets of supporters, which interrupted the Cup final between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
The DFB confirmed that its control committee will probe the events in Berlin, which could lead to heavy fines for both clubs.
Fans mainly protested in the second half, expressing their complaints through banners and in chants about high ticket prices for the match and what they view as the federation’s rigid enforcement of rules regarding fan misconduct.
One large banner, featuring the DFB logo crossed out with a red line and the words “prosecutor, judge and executioner,” was displayed around the lower tier of the stadium before fans also made extensive use of pyrotechnics after Bayern’s first goal in their 3-0 win.
The DFB did not say how the banners and large numbers of flares and other pyrotechnics were brought into the Olympic Stadium.
The DFB said during the match that while it “welcomes a lively fan culture” it cannot be that the fans “decide on match interruptions or even on matches being abandoned.”
The clubs condemned the incidents, with Bayern honorary president Uli Hoeness saying that “clubs, the DFB and the politcal side must take tough action that such outrages don’t happen any more.”
Stuttgart chairman of the board Alexander Wehrle was more restrained: “We support fan culture in general. But it is also clear that I don’t want for matches to be interrupted, because football should be at the centre over the 90 minutes.”
