Share

Ancelotti escapes middle finger punishment

Berlin - Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti will not be punished for showing Hertha Berlin fans his middle finger but must make a donation to charity, the German Federation (DFB) said on Tuesday.

The Italian coach had made the explicit gesture after being spat at by Hertha fans during Bayern's 1-1 draw in Berlin on Saturday.

The DFB said it had closed the case against Ancelotti "on condition the Bayern Munich coach makes a €5 000 donation to the Sepp-Herberger Foundation", the federation said in a statement on its website.

The foundation - named after the coach of the West Germany team that won the 1954 Soccer World Cup - is an association run by the DFB to provide opportunities for handicapped footballers and to help former prisoners reintegrate into society.

Bayern had publically backed their coach after his gesture, saying: "Essentially, we find emotionally understandable the human reaction that drove Carlo Ancelotti to make this gesture, as a response to this vile attack."

On Monday, the DFB had invited Ancelotti to explain his actions - the Italian had already admitted his guilt to German television station ARD after the match.

Tensions were high during the match, in which Bayern, whose players had been jeered throughout, equalised six minutes into added time.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
63% - 235 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
37% - 136 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE