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DFL wins Werder Bremen policing court case

May 17, 2017

The German Football League (DFL) has claimed a legal victory in the dispute with the city of Bremen over policing costs in Bundesliga games. Werder's game against Hamburg in April 2015 was a flashpoint for violence.

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Deutschland Fußball Bundesliga 2016 34. Spieltag Werder Bremen Eintracht Frankfurt
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Jaspersen

The DFL has won its case against the city over Bremen over who should foot the bill for Werder Bremen games that require higher levels of policing.

The administrative court of Bremen ruled on Wednesday that the levied fees are "unlawful" and, while the ruling goes in the favor of the DFL, Bremen is likely to appeal against the decision.

DFL President Reinhard Rauball said: "It makes sense that this decision has been made and the fees have been lifted."

The question has been raised in Bremen as to whether professional football should to pay for the additional costs of police compared with "normal" Bundesliga games.

Werder Bremen's Bundesliga game against rivals Hamburg on April 19, 2015, was a flashpoint for violence, with several injuries and considerable material damage and was key in seeing this issue reach the courts. On this occasion, there were 969 civil servants working 9537 working hours, according to police.

For a regular Bundesliga game, around 200 to 250 police officers are on the ground at the Weserstadion. The city sent a fee fee of 425,718.11 euros to the DFL after the Hamburg game.

mds (SID, dpa)