Several Danish internationals said on Thursday they were prepared to assist a Danish football fan who earlier this week was ordered to pay a whopping 1.87 million kroner ($309 000) in damages to the Danish Football Association (DBU) over storming the pitch during a Euro 2008 qualifier.
The incident took place during a June 2007 Euro qualifer between Denmark and Sweden. The referee aborted the match, and Sweden was awarded the victory.
Hannover 96 player Leon Andreasen, currently sidelined due to injury, and Stoke City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen said they were willing to abstain from their bonuses to help the cash-strapped fan, the Ekstra Bladet tabloid reported.
"Personally I think it is a good idea. I will get hold of (Danish captain) Daniel Agger and some of the others and we'll see how it can be done," Sorensen was quoted as saying.
Andreasen, 28, said he could pay the bonus he received after the infamous Euro qualifier, where he equalised the score to 3-3.
"We could even play an international, win it and then the players could abstain from their bonuses," Andreasen said.
The fan told the tabloid he was "deeply moved" by the offer, saying his failed stunt had been aimed at helping the Danish side, "but now they are trying to assist me."
The fan, who lives in neighbouring Sweden, said he had not yet heard from the DBU that after the court ruling said it was willing to discuss a possible reduction of its claim.
The appeal court ruling doubled the damages a lower court in 2009 ordered the man to pay to the DBU which suffered economic losses over playing two qualifiers at a smaller stadium and a fine to European football's ruling body Uefa.
The man has expressed deep regret over his actions in June 2007 when he stormed onto the pitch and attempted to hit referee Herbert Fandel.
Former international Michael Gravgaard, who was on the pitch and intervened to stop the man, has told TV 2 sports that he believed the fine was out of proportion, noting that "victims of serious assault are often awarded far less compensation, so this is an affront."
In addition to damages, the fan has served a 20-day jail term. He could have faced several years in prison had the judge not taken his remorse into consideration.
After the incident, European football's ruling body Uefa banned Denmark from playing its next two Euro 2008 qualifiers at the national arena in Copenhagen, resulting in an economic loss for DBU and the Parken owners.
http://www.supersport.com/football/europe/..._help_fined_fan
