Sanctions and fine for Hertha after fans´ rampage

The German Football Federation (DFB) have imposed sanctions on Bundesliga bottom club Hertha Berlin and insisted the side make a 50,000 euros donation to charity after their fans rioted on March 13.

The penalties come after more than 100 Hertha fans went on the rampage at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in the wake of their side’s 2-1 defeat at home to Nuremberg which was decided with an injury-time goal.

In the wake of the violence, Hertha took the step of banning 23 of those identified from all grounds in Germany for the next three years.

Those identified also face police prosecution for breach of the peace and for damage caused by their pitch invasion.

At least one fan is being sued by Hertha for damaging their property.

But the DFB’s disciplinary committee has also said the club can sell no more than 25,000 tickets to their fans for the next home game against Stuttgart on April 10 and must donate 50,000 euros to a Berlin sports charity for youth.

For the Stuttgart match, the Olympic Stadium’s east curve, where Hertha’s most extreme fans usually congregate, is to remain empty.

“We can live with the judgement, because it could have been much worse,” said Hertha manager Michael Preetz.

Hertha beat defending champions Wolfsburg 5-1 last Sunday in the league to remain five points adrift at the foot of the table with seven games remaining and look set to be relegated when the season ends on May 8.