Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham has discovered his punishment for the controversial "match-fixing" comments he made after losing to Bayern Munich this past weekend.
The teenager caused huge controversy when, after BVB lost 3-2 to the Bavarians on Saturday, he said: "You give a referee, that has match-fixed before, the biggest game in Germany, what do you expect?"
In response to his remarks about match official Felix Zwayer, reports across Germany and England suggested that Bellingham was being investigated by German police.
Zwayer had upset Dortmund players when he turned down two penalty appeals and awarded the Bundesliga champions a spot-kick following an apparent handball from Mats Hummels in his own danger area.
According to the Daily Mirror, the ex-Birmingham City starlet has been hit with a fine of €40 000 (R717 000) by the German Football Federation, who released a statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"The sports court of the German Football Federation has not blocked Borussia Dortmund's young professional Jude Bellingham (18) for his TV statement about referee Felix Zwayer after the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich last Saturday," it read.
"Bellingham had reminded out of Zwayer's misconduct immediately after the whistle in the historical context, which had been punished by the DFB several years ago. The sports court considered Bellingham's statement to be 'unsportsmanlike behaviour' and sentenced the English national player to a fine.
"Borussia Dortmund and the player accepted the verdict, Jude Bellingham is thus entitled to play in the Bundesliga match next Saturday at VfL Bochum."
