A video circulating on the internet shows frightening scenes. It shows spectators running onto the pitch, a scuffle between some people and finally a larger group of people engaging in a mass brawl. One of the people involved: Ergün Yildiz, striker of Bonner SC, who is still wearing his red BSC jersey with the number 23.

The police of the Rhein-Erft district confirmed the incident. Several officers rushed to the pitch on Pfeilstraße in Frechen on Sunday. In the process, they took two criminal charges for assault offences and one criminal charge for theft.

Yildiz, as BSC sports director Daniel Zillken told the General-Anzeiger, explained that in the scene he had wanted to defend his brother, who had been attacked by two other spectators. The video also shows two men dressed in black T-shirts attacking a man wearing a white T-shirt and Yildiz subsequently punching one of the two attackers, whereupon both fall and continue fighting on the ground. More and more people then join in and a large scuffle ensues.

"The board of Bonner SC condemns any form of violence in the strongest possible terms," explains Zillken and promises a quick internal clarification. What measures the club will take, also with regard to a possible club penalty against Yildiz, has not yet been decided.

But the BSC sports director makes one thing very clear: "The aggression came from a small group of spectators who have nothing to do with Bonner SC." Office manager Dietmar Sebus, who has been attending BSC matches for decades, explains: "I have never seen any of these people. They were definitely not Bonners.“

However, they are not supposed to have been Königsdorfers either, reports Albert Deuker, coach of the Frechen district club. "I rule out Königsdorf participation," says Deuker. Only about 50 spectators normally come to TuS home games, but against BSC there were 400. The club had specially provided 15 stewards, cordoned off a guest area and organised its own catering for the away fans. "We only did that for this one game. Otherwise we don't need it," says Deuker. The background to the Königsdorf precautionary measures were the incidents at the BSC's appearance in Pesch (see box).

Apparently, Yildiz had already had a verbal altercation with some spectators during the game. When the striker was shown the yellow card in the 83rd minute, some spectators "from this group provoked Ergün", as Sebus explains. The same people later attacked the man dressed in white on the pitch, who is said to be Yildiz's brother. Some of the people who rushed over afterwards were Bonn fans, Sebus reports. "Our fans stepped in to help when they saw the scuffle," says Sebus.

Zillken reports that the referee was already in the dressing room when the riot broke out about seven minutes after the end of the game. He therefore only noted the commotion itself and the fact that the police turned up at the scene in the match report, but not Yildiz's involvement. The striker is nevertheless threatened with trouble. The mere mention of the incident by the referee will lead to an investigation by the association, and the video could be accepted as evidence by the sports court in the event of an indictment. The fact that the riot took place after the end of the match and after the referee had left the pitch does not protect Yildiz. "As long as it happens on the football pitch, it is relevant to the sports court," says Stefan Flock, deputy chairman of the FVM's association sports court.

In the event of a conviction, Yildiz faces a severe penalty. According to section nine, paragraph eight of the West German Football Association's Law and Procedure Code, "a suspension of at least six games up to 72 games" is to be imposed for assault against players or another person present at the match. "In particularly serious cases, a ban of up to eight years is also possible.“

And a severe penalty could also be imposed on Bonner SC for the involvement of Bonner supporters. Just as against Königsdorf, which as host is responsible for security at the facility. "I would have preferred that our great success against BSC was reported rather than this brawl," says Albert Deuker. "It's all totally unfortunate."

Original text: Tobias Schild and Thomas Heinen / Translation: Mareike Graepel