Holstein Kiel and St. Pauli lose appeal in disputed Union Berlin-Bochum match | OneFootball

Two rulings in the case of a disputed Bundesliga match between Bochum and Union Berlin were due today. A German federal court handed down its first decision early today, rejecting the motion filed by top flight sides Holstein Kiel and St. Pauli in support of Union’s appeal. The two promoted sides joined Union in fighting a lower court decision to award Bochum three points in a matchday 14 encounter that ended 1-1.

The match in question was completed despite protests from the Bochum players after a lighter thrown at VfL keeper Patrick Drewes led to an extended delay as the match entered second half injury time. In early January, the DFB accepted Bochum’s arguments and awarded the Revierklub a 2-0 victory. It was such that Bochum earned three points bureaucratically. Kiel and St. Pauli joined Union in protesting points unfairly awarded in the current relegation race.

In today’s first ruling, the higher court ruled that Kiel and St. Pauli’s interest in the case has been rejected as illegitimate. In the words of the court, a “direct legitimate interest” from the two uninvolved clubs has not been given. Whether or not Bochum will actually receive the three points will be determined later today.

Bochum’s lawyer Christoph Schickhardt issued comments directed at the two other Bundesliga outfits, acerbically noting that Kiel and St. Pauli were “concerned only with points” and not “morals or sporting integrity“. At present, all three clubs are mired in the 2024/25 relegation race.

GGFN | Peter Weis