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ESPNsoccernet: Euro 2008 |
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Monday, June 4, 2007
Danish fan regrets drunken ref attack
COPENHAGEN, June 4 (Reuters) - The drunken Danish fan who attacked referee Herbert Fandel who then abandoned Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier between Denmark and Sweden, apologised to his countrymen for spoiling their chances of making it to next year's finals.
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'I so want to say I'm sorry to everyone in Denmark. I
spoiled a fantastic evening for so many,' the 29-year-old Dane
told Danish paper Ekstra Bladet in an interview.
The man, identifed only as 'R' by the paper, cannot be named
for legal reasons but said at a court hearing he had drunk 15 to
18 beers before the match and had little memory of the actual
incident.
He did remember he was angered by Fandel handing a red card
to Denmark's Chritian Poulsen and wanted to tell the referee his
decision to dismiss the player was 'nonsense'.
Denmark had rallied from 3-0 down to 3-3 but the match was
abandoned in the 89th minute when he jumped over the low fence
at the Parken Stadium and headed straight for Fandel just after
he awarded Sweden a late penalty.
He then struck out at the refree, before he was fended off
by Danish players. He made it back to the stands before being
seized by match stewards and later police.
The man that Ekstra Bladet called 'the most hated and
probably also the unhappiest in Denmark,' told the paper he
still had difficulties believing it had happened.
'I haven't slept all night in my cell. The last thing I ever
wanted was to hurt the national team and I hope someday I will
have the chance to apologise in person for what I did to the
referee,' he said.
UEFA's Control and Disciplinary panel will meet later this
week to decide whether to allow the match to stand at 3-3,
replay the game, or award a victory to Sweden.