FC Cologne was fined 595,000 euros on Wednesday, a record sum for the Bundesliga, for using pyrotechnic devices and throwing objects onto the pitch by its supporters during a championship match in October .
This is the highest sanction ever imposed for fan misconduct in German football. Around a third of the fine can be invested by the club in security or other protective measures, the German Football Association (DFB) said.
These incidents had delayed by several minutes the derby finally won at home (3-1) by Cologne against Borussia Moenchengladbach on October 22.
Cologne have vowed to fight for a “significant reduction” in the penalty, with chief executive Christian Keller saying the fine inflicted “enormous financial damage” on the club.
He added that “pyrotechnics are part of football fan culture” but admitted that “the red lines that should not be crossed… were clearly crossed against Gladbach.”
Although banned, these pyrotechnic devices are commonplace in German football and are frequently brandished by supporters, whether at home or away.
On Monday, Bayern Munich, the reigning German champion, was fined 40,000 euros and given a suspended ban on using it during away Champions League matches. The ban lasts for two years, which means that any new reprehensible behavior on the part of Bavarian supporters will result in a new sanction, a priori more severe.
