Punch against Rapid star Burgstaller: court hears drama!

Punch against Rapid star Burgstaller: court hears drama!

On December 14, 2024, an incident occurred in front of a Viennese disco that would permanently change the life of Rapid striker Guido Burgstaller. A 23-year-old punched Burgstaller in the face, seriously injuring him. The defendant confessed his guilt in front of the Vienna Regional Court on March 27, 2025 and expressly regretted his actions. “I plead guilty and I am truly sorry,” he said at the trial. The severity of the injuries Burgstaller suffered is alarming: he suffered, among other things, a burst fracture of his skull, brain contusions, bleeding and inner ear hearing loss, which caused him to largely lose his sense of smell 5min reported.

The incident developed from what was initially a harmless argument. The defendant pushed Burgstaller before finally hitting him with his fist. This “excessive overreaction” had fatal consequences, which the public prosecutor in court classified as an “unfortunate fall.” Burgstaller himself can barely remember the incident. He told the court that he had no longer received any financial compensation after his hospital stay and that he had significant difficulties with his sense of taste and the retina of his eye. SK Rapid also demanded 60,000 euros in damages, while Burgstaller is demanding 80,000 euros. However, he rejects the defendant's apology and considers the incident inexcusable.

Legal consequences and the future

The defendant was sentenced to a conditional prison sentence of 16 months, but the verdict is not yet final. The criminal complaint was filed for serious bodily harm (Section 84 Paragraph 4 StGB) after the original suspicion of intentional serious bodily harm was dropped. The hearing was scheduled to last two hours, and Burgstaller had to be called as a witness and was expected to be willing to appear if his health problems permitted it. The defendant had previously had no criminal record and had no contact with the police; he was employed by an insurance company.

The incident sheds light on the dangers associated with physical assault in sport. According to a study, around 2 million sports injuries occur in Germany every year, often resulting from collisions and falls. Such injuries are particularly common in club sports, such as football, with risk factors such as your own behavior and the incorrect actions of other athletes. Accident prevention in sport is therefore crucial to reduce the risk of injuries and ensure the safety of athletes, as in Safety Sports is presented.