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Lackluster Losers

DW staff / DPA (nda)June 7, 2008

All 11 players from a German lower league football team were banned for a year by local football authorities on Saturday after the team lost a match 54-1 the previous weekend.

https://p.dw.com/p/EFVE
Bearing the national flag of Czech Republic, the gloves of Petr Cech are seen during a training session of the national soccer team of Czech Republic in Basel, Switzerland, Friday, June 6, 2008.
After a while, the goalkeeper just lost countImage: AP

The Cologne authorities ruled that the team, DJK Loewen II, lost deliberately to allow the game winners Rheinkassel-Langel II promotion over rivals Germania Nippes II. The team was also docked 12 points for the next season.

The authorities did not nullify the result as Rheinkassel did not manipulate the outcome.

But Germania were promoted as well at the expense of Loewen's first team, with the soccer officials punishing the whole Loewen club because no one from the club had made an effort to prevent the record-breaking defeat.