Clubs escape punishment for Danish Cup Final trouble

Disciplinary authority halted by lack of framework for sanctioning cup matches

Football clubs FC Copenhagen and Brøndby have avoided any punishment related to the fan trouble that took place during and after the Danish Cup Final last week on Thursday.

The national disciplinary authority, Fodboldens Disciplinærinstans (FD), has declared that the clubs and DBU, the national football association, will not face any fines because they don’t currently have the authority to sanction clubs in the Danish Cup tournament.

“FD’s view on crowd trouble, including the use of pyrotechnics, is known by all in Danish football. But in this case we lack the authority to sanction clubs and the event organiser [DBU],” Jens Hjortskov, the head of FD, told DBU.dk.

“FD already requested during the 2015-16 season to have clear rules regarding the responsibility of clubs for their own fans in the cup final, so that it is possible to sanction them in the same way it is done in the Superliga and divisional matches.”

READ MORE: FC Copenhagen retain Superliga title

Not all bad
Not since the UEFA Cup Final clash between Arsenal and Galatasaray in Copenhagen in 2000 have the Danish police faced such a test in connection with a football game. Over a dozen fans were arrested before, during and after the game.

Troubling incidents included a large group of Brøndby fans facing off with police in the stands shortly after the match, which saw FC Copenhagen secure a 3-1 victory. It was the first time the two bitter rivals had squared up in a cup final since 1998.

Fortunately, it wasn’t all doom and gloom as two videos involving each team went viral after the match.

One involved Brøndby fans in an impressive showing of fansmanship as they made their way to the game, while another was of a FCK fan being handed the cup by the players and bringing it up to a loyal disabled fan to hold (see below).