An on-ice collision that occurred in Germany this past February has developed into a civil lawsuit now working its way through the courts. In the incident, Mike Glemser of the Rosenheim Star Bulls was checked into the boards by Jan-Niklas Pietsch of Riessersee SC. At first, Glemser did not blame Pietsch. Now he is seeking almost $1 million in damages.
The video of the incident indeed shows Pietsch driving Mike Glemser into the boards behind his own net, where he collapses onto the ice and is unable to move. The video can be seen with the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxYNqEoXmto
Damages against Pietsch are being sought by Mike Glemser's lawyers for the paralysis and future costs related to the injury. Pietsch's attorneys have argued that such a ruling would have disastrous implications on contact sports played within Germany.
This brings into focus the age-old question in contact sports, such as hockey, at what juncture does a hard, physical play cross the line from fair competition into something far more insidious? And who is to say where that line should be drawn?
Ironically, Pietsch and Glemser were teammates for the 2020-21 season with the Hannover Scorpions. The worst part of the incident is that Mike Glemser will have to lead the rest of his life in a wheelchair, and an online GoFundMe campaign initiated by fans and players alike raised almost $800,000 in support of his recovery.
Source: Blades of SteelHockey player launches lawsuit after being paralyzed during game
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9 SEPTEMBRE | 179 ANSWERS Hockey playing Mike Glemser suing opponent for paralyzing him with dirty hit Will Mike Glemser win his lawsuit? | ||
Yes | 72 | 40.2 % |
No | 107 | 59.8 % |
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