The German FA (DFB) has fined Cologne sporting executive Jorg Schmadtke €6,000 after he called officials at their match against Werder Bremen "Eierköppe," meaning "eggheads."
Former goalkeeper Schmadtke lost his cool at half-time in a 1-1 draw and used the word to referee Guido Winkmann and his assistants after a controversial penalty was awarded against his side.
He was sent to the stands and later fined, but denied that "Eierköppe" is an insult in the club's Rhineland region and initially refused to pay.
He was then ordered to appear before the DFB sports court, where judge Hans E. Lorenz made it clear that "Eierköppe" was an insult -- but not too bad an insult.
"We did not want to dramatise the record," Lorenz said. "But at the same time, the comment fulfils the elements of unsporting behaviour as well as insult."
Schmadtke was ordered to pay the €6,000 and his lawyer, Christoph Schickhardt, told Express: "The proceedings are not the finest hour for sports jurisdiction."