“I had the thought: That was an attempted murder.” That was how Mark Karmanski described the scene after a lower-league soccer match in Dortmund descended into a mass brawl involving roughly 20 people, leaving five individuals injured and police investigating charges of mutual dangerous bodily harm.
The Kreisliga B fixture between Westfalia Dortmund II and DJK BW Huckarde ended in chaos on the pitch during the closing minute, according to local police reports. The confrontation drew approximately 20 participants who exchanged punches and kicks, culminating in a heavy police response and five reported injuries, Welt reported.
Assault on the Visiting Coaching Staff
The most severe violence was directed at Martin Karmanski, the assistant coach and co-trainer of the visiting Huckarde side. According to his brother and head coach Mark Karmanski, speaking to the Ruhr Nachrichten, Martin Karmanski was knocked to the ground by a blow to the face before being kicked in the head with full force while unconscious. The assault left the assistant coach with a diagnosed traumatic brain injury, requiring immediate hospital treatment.
Mark Karmanski also absorbed a blow during the melee that knocked his glasses from his face, describing the incident as the darkest day he had ever witnessed in football. In the immediate aftermath, club officials indicated that legal action would be pursued privately against the individual responsible for kicking the assistant coach.
Disputing the Match Flashpoint
Accounts regarding the catalyst for the brawl differ sharply between the two clubs involved. Huckarde coach Mark Karmanski stated that the confrontation began when a Westfalia Dortmund player struck an opponent in the chest following a foul near the technical areas. He acknowledged that he could not definitively rule out whether his own players retaliated with punches.
Conversely, Lars Kopka, a board member at Westfalia Dortmund, pointed to what he termed an unnecessarily aggressive and rough foul by the Huckarde players near the benches as the root cause. Kopka confirmed that participants from both sides exchanged blows as the situation spiraled out of control. Because the violence erupted in the final minute of regulation, the referee officially whistled the match to a full-time conclusion with the score standing at 6–2 in favor of Westfalia Dortmund II.
Police Investigation and Post-Match Friction
Local law enforcement authorities have opened formal investigations into allegations of reciprocal and aggravated assault following the tumult. Beyond the physical altercations, tensions lingered after the final whistle regarding Westfalia Dortmund’s conduct once order was partially restored.
Huckarde’s coaching staff voiced strong disapproval after the Westfalia Dortmund squad posed for a victory photo in front of an illuminated LED stadium wall displaying the final match score, an action Mark Karmanski labeled tasteless. Defending the celebration, Westfalia board member Kopka maintained that taking a winning photo is a standard team ritual, though he offered an apology if the display inadvertently offended anyone involved.
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