By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian international and Bayer Leverkusen forward, Victor Boniface will not be featured in one of the club’s match.
This is after he was handed a one game suspension.
German officials also announced that he will pay fine of $25,000 after he was found guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct during his team’s last week’s Super Cup match against VfB Stuttgart.
The decision was disclosed by German Football Association (DFB) in a statement.
According to the statement from the DFB sports court, Boniface will be banned from participating in one DFB Cup match and fined $25,000.
The punishment was issued after the DFB Control Committee charged the 23-year-old with “blatantly anti-sporting conduct.”
The incident in question involved Boniface allegedly making an obscene gesture raising his middle finger towards Stuttgart players as he ran past them during post-match celebrations.
Referee Tobias Stieler, who officiated the game, confirmed that he did not witness the gesture, which allowed the DFB’s control committee to investigate further.
Although there is no video evidence to back up the claims from Stuttgart players, the FA still deemed it necessary to allow the Nigerian international to go unpunished.
Boniface and his club have accepted the verdict, making the suspension and fine legally binding, few weeks after he was crowned Bundesliga rookie player of 2023/24 season.