The next act in the Wittmann case is about to begin. On Friday, the lawsuit filed by the consultant and close associate of Hopp against the stadium ban at TSG Hoffenheim will be heard in court.
The next act in the ongoing feud between the management of TSG Hoffenheim and the banned Roger Wittmann, which has been filling the summer slump, will be performed on Friday. In the morning, the Heidelberg Regional Court will hear the injunction filed by the advisor and confidant of TSG patron Dietmar Hopp, who has been banned from the club’s premises and stadium. The case involving Dirk Mack, the former head of the Hoffenheim academy who has also been ostracized, will also be heard.
Wittmann had sought the injunction in order to find out the exact reasons for the ban and to challenge the ban, which was initially imposed for the current season. TSG must now therefore give specific reasons for this unusual measure.
It can be assumed that a number of issues will be brought to the table and that some rather unsavory details will be discussed. According to reports, the case involves defamation, false allegations, and insults. The court will then decide whether to uphold or overturn the stadium bans and house arrest orders.
The relevance of Wittmann’s personal attendance at games for his consulting work is also likely to be clarified, as he continues to represent TSG professionals such as Umut Tohumcu, Tim Lemperle, Fisnik Asllani, and Arthur Chaves. No more and no less.
This is not about the case or the continuation of the current management, even if such scenarios are outlined elsewhere. To put it in context: even if Wittmann were to win his case and regain access, this would not change the distancing from this advisor and his previously inappropriate influence on operational business, which was already announced in April. Hopp had tolerated this step and, at least, had not commented on it. Even after the stadium ban was imposed, things remained quiet at first, before the 85-year-old surprisingly branded the incident a “big mess” last week.
Now it remains to be seen whether Hopp was right or whether he may have to back down if the court confirms the ban based on the evidence. However, it is unlikely that the second shareholder with a majority of voting rights, club chairman Jörg Albrecht, will back down from his recently emphasized solidarity and assured support for the management. No matter how things turn out on Friday.
