Hockey player fined for burning supporter's scarf
Christoph Bertschy, a player with the SC Bern ice hockey team, was fined 700 francs for setting fire to a supporters’ scarf for an opposing team during a celebration of his team’s victory earlier this month in the Swiss national league championships.
The fine, announced on Tuesday by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, came after Reto Steinmann, the federation’s disciplinary judge, opened an investigation against Bertschy for misconduct.
Swiss citizen Bertschy, 19, was caught using a lighter to set fire to a scarf for HC Fribourg Gottéron, the team that the Bern side beat to win the championships, in post-game festivities at Bern's arena on April 16th.
The incident occurred after Bern won the sixth game in the best of seven playoff series to capture the national league A title.
“A detailed justification is not necessary to explain that setting fire to a scarf of an opponent’s team . . . is particularly unsportsmanlike,” Steinmann said in a statement outlining his decision.
The action “contradicted the principles of fair play” and was therefore an infringement of the league’s rules, he said.
“Taking into account all relevant circumstances, a fine of 700 francs seems appropriate.”
Bertschy can appeal the decision by filing with the sports tribunal of the hockey federation within five days.
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The fine, announced on Tuesday by the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, came after Reto Steinmann, the federation’s disciplinary judge, opened an investigation against Bertschy for misconduct.
Swiss citizen Bertschy, 19, was caught using a lighter to set fire to a scarf for HC Fribourg Gottéron, the team that the Bern side beat to win the championships, in post-game festivities at Bern's arena on April 16th.
The incident occurred after Bern won the sixth game in the best of seven playoff series to capture the national league A title.
“A detailed justification is not necessary to explain that setting fire to a scarf of an opponent’s team . . . is particularly unsportsmanlike,” Steinmann said in a statement outlining his decision.
The action “contradicted the principles of fair play” and was therefore an infringement of the league’s rules, he said.
“Taking into account all relevant circumstances, a fine of 700 francs seems appropriate.”
Bertschy can appeal the decision by filing with the sports tribunal of the hockey federation within five days.
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