It was by far the most remarkable scene from matchday 25 in the Regionalliga West: Rico Weiler firstly scored a free-kick to level the match at 1-1 against title contenders Alemannia Aachen and then grabbed the supposed winning goal in added time. Referee Thomas Altgeld (Bochum) awarded the goal to KFC Uerdingen 05’s central defender before Weiler admitted that he had played the ball with his hand. The goal was ruled out, meaning that the team from Krefeld are still waiting for their first win since November.
DFB.de spoke with Rico Weiler about the reasons behind his decision, his teammates‘ reactions, the fair-play principle in sport and his role as a father.
DFB.de: Your exemplary behaviour and adherence to the fair-play principle caused a real stir. Mr Weiler, what do you remember from those key seconds in added time?
Rico Weiler: We had a corner. I was pushed from behind when the cross was played in but still managed to get the ball into the back of the net. I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation at first. I waited to see the referee’s decision and when I saw the assistant referee running towards the halfway line, it was clear that the goal had been given. Then everything happened very quickly: I ran over to the referee and told him that I’d played the ball with my hand.
DFB.de: A win would have given you three very important points in the relegation battle, but instead you only came away with one. Did you consider the club’s current position when you admitted to handling the ball?
Weiler: I’m quite aware of our current situation however, I’m not the type of person who would be happy to secure our league status through such dishonest means. I’m already convinced of our safety; I think our current 8-point cushion is enough and would be tricky for other teams to overturn.
DFB.de: How did your teammates react?
Weiler: To begin with some of my teammates were disappointed because the three points we had supposedly just secured were snatched away from them in a matter of seconds. However, all of them have shown understanding for my decision and lots even congratulated me.
It was by far the most remarkable scene from matchday 25 in the Regionalliga West: Rico Weiler firstly scored a free-kick to level the match at 1-1 against title contenders Alemannia Aachen and then grabbed the supposed winning goal in added time. Referee Thomas Altgeld (Bochum) awarded the goal to KFC Uerdingen 05’s central defender before Weiler admitted that he had played the ball with his hand. The goal was ruled out, meaning that the team from Krefeld are still waiting for their first win since November.
DFB.de spoke with Rico Weiler about the reasons behind his decision, his teammates‘ reactions, the fair-play principle in sport and his role as a father.
DFB.de: Your exemplary behaviour and adherence to the fair-play principle caused a real stir. Mr Weiler, what do you remember from those key seconds in added time?
Rico Weiler: We had a corner. I was pushed from behind when the cross was played in but still managed to get the ball into the back of the net. I wasn’t sure how to handle the situation at first. I waited to see the referee’s decision and when I saw the assistant referee running towards the halfway line, it was clear that the goal had been given. Then everything happened very quickly: I ran over to the referee and told him that I’d played the ball with my hand.
DFB.de: A win would have given you three very important points in the relegation battle, but instead you only came away with one. Did you consider the club’s current position when you admitted to handling the ball?
Weiler: I’m quite aware of our current situation however, I’m not the type of person who would be happy to secure our league status through such dishonest means. I’m already convinced of our safety; I think our current 8-point cushion is enough and would be tricky for other teams to overturn.
DFB.de: How did your teammates react?
Weiler: To begin with some of my teammates were disappointed because the three points we had supposedly just secured were snatched away from them in a matter of seconds. However, all of them have shown understanding for my decision and lots even congratulated me.
DFB.de: Was it a spur-of-the-moment decision or would you have acted the same way in other games?
Weiler: I would always act in that way as I believe in the saying “Honesty is the best policy.” This is true not only for sports, but also for all other aspects of daily life – that’s how I was brought up. It shouldn’t have been a goal so it was the right decision.
DFB.de: As a player from a higher league, you’re a role model for many young players. Did that influence your decision?
Weiler: It was my own decision. You don’t have time in a situation like that to consider your responsibilities as a potential role model. My teammates came running over to me to celebrate after the ball hit the back of the net. I pleased that I spoke up and upheld the fair-play principle. It’s even nicer when I can be a role model for other people. I have a small daughter and know how children and teenagers look up to and copy the way adults behave.
DFB.de: Do you consider and copy the way other players behave?
Weiler: It would be wrong to worry about how other players react in such situations. I either let the referee’s decision stand or I speak up. For me, it doesn’t matter how other footballers have behaved in similar situations. I don’t worry about what other people think of me. I didn’t want to get an unfair advantage; I couldn’t live with a guilty conscience.
DFB.de: Why should all sportsmen and women act in this way?
Weiler: Sport couldn’t survive without the principle of fair play. Rules are there to be respected. I know that it isn’t always easy to withstand the pressure and favour sportsmanlike conduct over getting a result. Good deeds are always rewarded. I hope that many footballers, both amateur and professional, take this example and conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike way in the future.
DFB.de: If you got relegated at the end of the season because of the two points dropped this weekend, would you regret your decision?
Weiler: I hadn’t given that any thought and seeing as we won’t be relegated, I don’t need to (laughs).
DFB.de: Is a draw against Alemannia Aachen an acceptable result for KFC Uerdingen 05?
Weiler: A draw against a team competing to be league champions is certainly not a bad result. However, I wouldn’t say that we had settled for a 1-1 draw ahead of the game. We are all convinced that we have the quality in our squad to come away from games with all three points, even when it hasn’t gone so well for us over the past few weeks.
DFB.de: It’s a crucial game against second-bottom Sportfreunde Siegen on Saturday (14:00 CET). Why are you optimistic that you’ll come away with all three points?
Weiler: The Aachen game was a step in the right direction for us. We put an end to our run of defeats and held our own against the second-placed team in the league. The mood in camp is excellent and so is our approach; the results should now follow.
