If a player fouls, he will be punished by the referee, maybe also by the sports federation. Blocking and fines are the rule. In Denmark hockey professional has now been convicted of an unsportsmanlike offense by a regular court. Kristian Jensen of the Frederikshavn White Hawks received a suspended sentence of 20 days for striking a fierce opponent.
The local district court in Hjørring in northern Denmark pleaded guilty to Jensen beating his opponent Lucas Bjerre Rasmussen's head when he was already on the ice.
The 23-year-old Jensen had initially checked an opponent to the ground in the encounter with the Odense Bulldogs in September, whereupon Rasmussen pushed him by cross check to the side. Jensen then went on Rasmussen, wrestled him to the ground and hit him. A TV viewer showed Jensen.
A sporting punishment is not enough
In court Jensen argued that he had already been punished by the association. He was suspended for 17 competitive games. But from the court's point of view, the crime was so serious that the ice hockey club's punishment was not enough. "The legal system must protect the ice hockey system," said Judge Jeanette Thørholm Andersen. The penalty, however, was relatively lenient, because the act had taken place in the context of a hockey game. Jensen has to pay around 770 euros to Rasmussen in addition to his suspended sentence.
"It has been set a signal that you can not afford anything in ice hockey," said sports commentator Jimmy Bøjgaard on the Danish TV channel "TV2": "It's a tough sport, but there are also rules that you do not beat anyone who can not fight back. " The ice hockey rules even have their own sections on the area of fist fights. They happen in the sport again and again.
Henrik Andersen, Managing Director of Frederikshavn White Hawks said: "We are very sad that Kristian Jensen has been convicted, after all he has received the mildest sentence possible."
The case had caused a stir because the question arose where sports law and where the criminal law was taking effect. In Germany, too, amateur football and ice hockey players have been penalized in the past. In 2012, a ruling caused a sensation that footballers can be held liable for "grossly reckless foul play".
