Man who threw minor injured Ajax footballer receives community service
A 32-year-old man from Roero Farentsveen was found guilty of assault on Monday after throwing a lighter at Ajax player Davy Klaasen. A police judge in Dordrecht sentenced him to 60 hours of community service, half of which was a conditional suspension, and two years’ probation.
The incident took place early last month during the KNVB Cup semi-final match between Feyenoord and Ajax at Feyenoord’s stadium De Kuip in Rotterdam. A lighter was thrown from the stands and hit Klaasen in the head, causing a cut to the back of his head. The match was interrupted for about 30 minutes, and the player was replaced shortly after the match resumed due to dizziness.
The judge identified the suspect as an avid Feyenoord supporter with an innocent criminal record. He confessed to throwing a lighter. In his own words, he did this out of exhaustion from his job and frustration with past family problems. He called it a “bout of mental confusion” and also said he seemed to be “shorting out”. He is currently undergoing treatment for “frustration,” he said. “This was a really tough reality check.”
The man said he felt a sense of euphoria after he threw the lighter, encouraged by the people around him in the stands. “After that, the euphoria quickly wore off,” he says. “I’m sorry,” the suspect said. “If I could get it back, I would gladly have done so.”
The suspect and his family had to go into hiding due to intimidation after their arrest. These threats came from Feyenoord and Ajax supporters.
The sentence is slightly less than the prosecution’s request. In making the decision, the judge considered several factors, including the suspect’s personal circumstances, threats to the suspect, and threats to his family. He has been banned from stadiums for nine years by the Dutch football association KNVB.
Following the incident, the KNVB introduced stricter rules for football matches.
https://nltimes.nl/2023/05/15/man-threw-lighter-wounding-ajax-footballer-gets-community-service Man who threw minor injured Ajax footballer receives community service