Overview

• The DFB Sportgericht fined Rot-Weiss Essen €20,000 after fans directed sexist chants at referee Fabienne Michel during a March 28 match against SC Verl.
• Up to €6,650 of the fine can be allocated to preventive anti-discrimination initiatives, with compliance documentation required by December 31, 2025.
• Rot-Weiss Essen has accepted the verdict, making the sanction legally binding, and issued a statement distancing itself from the fans' behavior.
• Michel, the only female referee in Germany’s top three leagues, has filed a civil lawsuit in response to the abuse, which included discriminatory and demeaning chants.
• The incident initially went unreported in match documentation and only came to light after investigative reporting by Sportschau prompted the DFB to take action.