Deep pitches are nothing unusual at this time of year. Temperatures drop, humidity rises. It is unusual that there is water on a sports field even though it has hardly rained. Nevertheless, the SV maidbronn officials had canceled the district league match against SC schwarzach scheduled for last sunday for this reason – and documented this cancellation, as if to prove it, with a photo showing the puddle of water in the penalty area of the main pitch in the rimpar suburb of maidbronn.
Part of the water hose sticks out into the picture
However, there is also a hose to be seen on this picture, which gives rise to the suspicion of deliberate manipulation. Already in the run-up to the match, according to information from this editorial office, there had been rumors that the people of maidbronn would prefer to have the game cancelled. Important players like patrick roder, who was suspended after a red card and was the linchpin of maidbronn’s offensive game, julian bedner or lukas hofer were not available. And now came as an opponent the second-placed SC schwarzach, which had presented itself in the previous weeks barenstark.
Moreover, it was simon friedrich’s return to his old place of action. The defensive specialist from SC schwarzach, who lives in rimpar, first acted as playing co-coach for the red-whites and then last season as the main man in charge of the team. And schwarzach’s coach thomas redelberger also met up with an old traveler in marcel bauer. Finally, the two kicked together in rimpar.
There was a pool of water in the funfmeterraum
But on sunday morning the maidbronn team cancelled the match. Reason: the main square was under water. And indeed: when thomas redelberger, who lives in guntersleben, took a quick look at the pitch, there was a pool of water in the penalty area, making the pitch unplayable. The club also has an alternative pitch, which was in acceptable condition from redelberger’s point of view. "I looked at it, and you could definitely play on it."
Marcel bauer, coach of SV maidbronn, and head of department kevin laug did not accept a short-term exchange of home rights suggested by redelberger – the team from schwarzach was determined to play. Laug had been out for a walk and happened to be there when his father asked him to take care of the matter. The two had met with the schwarzach coach and agreed to play the game on the maidbronn side field. However, the former oberdurrbacher bauer and laug are said to have had nothing else to do. Bauer said that he and the team were not informed of the cancellation of the match until sunday morning. Finally, laug was worried that the game would take place and informed the maidbronn players.
Maidbronn had to play after all – and lost
At the time of the meeting, a photo was already circulating in various whatsapp groups showing a garden hose next to the puddle of water, which had probably been used to flood the penalty area. This raises the suspicion that maidbronn deliberately tried to provoke a cancellation of the match. Also district game director marco gobet was already informed about the incident. Christoph franz, who is standing in for gobet, who is currently out of town, could not be reached for comment. Whether the behavior of the SV maidbronn further consequences entails, is thus also unclear. In the end, the game, which SC schwarzach won 3:1, took place in accordance with the rules.