Nigeria international and Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface has been handed a match ban and fined €25,000 following an offensive gesture during the German Super Cup match against Stuttgart at the BayArena on Saturday.
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The incident occurred after Boniface, who had scored his team’s first goal in their 2-0 victory, allegedly made an obscene gesture by showing his left middle finger to the Stuttgart players as he ran past them immediately after the final whistle.
As a result of the ban, the 23-year-old forward will miss Bayer Leverkusen’s upcoming German Super Cup match against Carl Zeiss Jena on Saturday.
However, he will be available for the club’s opening Bundesliga match of the new season on Friday against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Referee Tobias Stieler confirmed that he did not witness the incident during the match, which prompted the German Football Association’s disciplinary committee to investigate the matter retrospectively.
After reviewing the case, the committee decided to impose the ban and fine.
Both Boniface and Bayer Leverkusen have accepted the ruling, making the decision legally binding. The club and the player have expressed their commitment to moving forward and focusing on the upcoming season.
This disciplinary action serves as a reminder of the importance of sportsmanship and the consequences of unsporting behavior on the field.
Boniface will now look to put the incident behind him as he prepares to contribute to Bayer Leverkusen’s campaign in the Bundesliga and other competitions.
