Masked Fan Unplugs VAR Monitor in German League Match

A masked supporter disrupted a German second-division football match on Sunday by unplugging the pitchside video assistant referee monitor during a penalty review, in an apparent protest against the technology.

The incident occurred late in the first half of the 2. Bundesliga game between Preussen Munster and Hertha Berlin at Munster's home stadium, with the score tied at 0-0. Referee Felix Bickel had been instructed by video assistant referee Katrin Rafalski, operating from the VAR hub in Cologne, to review a challenge in Munster's penalty area that could have led to a spot kick for the visitors. As Bickel approached the monitor, he discovered it had been disconnected from its power source, leaving the screen blank and preventing an on-field review.

According to club officials, a masked individual from the home fans' active supporter section had illegally entered the restricted pitchside area and pulled the cable. Television footage showed the person, dressed in white overalls and a green ski mask in Munster's colors, quickly climbing back into the stands. Initial investigations by Preussen Munster suggest the act was coordinated, as supporters unfurled a banner in the home...