Danish association wants fan who stormed Euro qualifier to pay

Oct 21, 2009, 13:56 GMT

Copenhagen - The Danish football association (DBU) Wednesday demanded 381,000 dollars in damages from a man who stormed onto the pitch forcing the referee to abandon a Euro 2008 qualifier between Denmark and Sweden in June 2007.

DBU cited the economic loss it suffered over the incident, including a fine to European football's ruling body UEFA.

UEFA also banned Denmark from playing two Euro 2008 qualifiers at the national arena in Copenhagen.

The 31-year-old Danish man, who was sentenced to a 20-day jail term in December 2007, rejected the demands.

'No one tried to prevent me from entering the pitch,' the man told the Copenhagen district court at the hearing Wednesday.

DBU lawyer Mikael Rosenmejer said security lapses were not an argument, saying it was necessary to 'make an example' of the case, Danish news agency Ritzau reported.

No date has been set for the court ruling.

The man, whose identity has been shielded, had earlier said his actions were fuelled by alcohol and he lost his senses when Sweden was awarded a penalty in the final minutes of the game when the teams were tied 3-3.

Sweden was awarded a 3-0 victory.