Co-trainer in focus

New Rapid video remains almost without consequences from the league

Rapids' VIP club was also a hotbed of activity.(Bild: GEPA zvg)

Rapid's third scandalous video after the derby win against Austria remains without further consequences for the time being. This was announced by the Bundesliga in a statement on Tuesday evening.

"The Bundesliga has become aware of a further video in which SK Rapid players can be seen in the VIP club after the Vienna derby singing an insulting chant against FK Austria Wien," the league said in a statement. "The video was submitted to Senate 1 for review. The Senate has assessed the content of the video to the effect that the players visible on the video, Niklas Hedl, Marco Grüll and Thorsten Schick, have committed offenses that have already been admitted and have thus been dealt with and sentenced in proceedings that have already taken place. As a result, no new proceedings will be opened against the players." 

(Bild: GEPA, zVg)

Third video from the VIP club
What exactly is it about? After the video showing managing director Steffen Hofmann ranting against Austria and the one showing some players singing homophobic songs in the stands, a third video from Rapid's VIP club recently emerged. It showed goalkeeper Niklas Hedl and attacking player Marco Grüll, among others, loudly insulting the district of Favoriten, home of city rivals Austria, with chants in the VIP club. Unfortunate!

After a protest by Rapid, Hedl's unconditional suspension was changed to a conditional one. The 22-year-old goalkeeper's age was seen by the league protest committee as a reason for mitigation, "in addition, he was more on the sidelines and was the least actively involved of all the players", the Bundesliga explained at the time. Hedl was therefore able to play in the decisive match against Austria Klagenfurt to secure a place in the championship group and put in a strong performance in the 1-1 draw in Klagenfurt, which was enough to secure promotion. According to the new video, he got off lightly again.

Proceedings against assistant coach 
However, the league continued: "Proceedings will be opened against assistant coach Daniel Seper before Senate 1. He was not seen on any of the videos known to date, so the facts of his case could not be assessed to date." Previously, another assistant coach, Stefan Kulovits, had already received a three-month suspension for discrimination, one month of which was conditional. Managing director Steffen Hofmann was suspended for two months, one month of which was unconditional, for defamation. In addition, the players Grüll, Guido Burgstaller, Schick and Maximilian Hofmann were punished with suspensions.