Stadium bans for 88 Dortmund fans after combat cache discovered

Berlin (AFP) – Nearly 100 Borussia Dortmund fans have been banned from Bundesliga stadiums nationwide for up to two years after police stopped them in possession of combat equipment, the German FA (DFB) said Thursday.

The gang of 88 were stopped en route to a game at Darmstadt on February 11 and sent back to Dortmund, a week after Dortmund fans attacked women and children from visiting RB Leipzig.

“The duration of the bans has been determined mainly by the age of the people, but also according to their past behaviour,” Hendrik Grosse Lefert, chief security officer for the DFB, said.

The minimum nationwide stadium ban handed out was four months for the gang, who were found with flares, helmets and combat sport gloves.

Dortmund were punished following the Leipzig incidents with the closure of its South Stand, which holds 24,000 spectators, for the next match.