Unusual trial at the Innsbruck Regional Court: A 16-year-old caused a torn ligament in his opponent during a football match. The court now had to decide whether there was serious bodily harm.
It couldn’t have been an attack of frustration as the defendant’s team was leading 3-0. Nevertheless, the teenager ‘sabered’ his opponent during a U-16 football match in Tyrol in the autumn. “Intentionally hitting the boil with a straight leg,” the prosecutor specified. The result was a torn ligament in the opponent – an accusation of serious bodily harm and now a trial in the regional court.
I asked the coach for the green light because of a violation
Many violations are committed in football, why did this one end up in court? The defendant had previously asked his coach, who was of Turkish descent, for a “green light”, and the other coach, who also understood Turkish, was also given permission. That is the main reason why the club did not release the young footballer’s torn cruciate ligament and filed a complaint.
“We were just running shoulder to shoulder,” the defendant claimed, and then his opponent’s ankle was somehow struck during the duel. However, the prosecutor relied on witnesses: “The violation happened without any chance of possession of the ball.” However, the referee could not help find out the truth; he stated that he had not seen the situation clearly enough.
Defender: ‘A completely normal match’
The 16-year-old’s lawyer almost shouted indignantly in the closing argument: “If in the future even such things end with an indictment, then there will only be criminals running around.” A match like this is ‘the most normal situation’ on a football field.
Trespass means no intent to injure
The judge did not make it easy for himself and asked for a few minutes to reach a judgement. Ultimately, when in doubt, he pronounced an acquittal, which has now become legally binding. As a reason, he added: “The coach’s consent to a violation does not necessarily indicate the intention to cause injury. And I can’t determine what the player was thinking when he made a mistake.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
