Karim Adeyemi, the Borussia Dortmund and Germany forward, has been fined €450,000 (£396k; $522k) for the possession of a pair of brass knuckles and a taser.
The case, which dates back to 2024, was finalised by a district court in Hagen, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with the result that Adeyemi will be liable for the fine (60 daily rates of €7,500, calculated in accordance with his salary and which started on October 30), but will not face a public trial, nor be given a criminal record.
German law prohibits the possession, procurement or use of either weapon. Possession alone can carry a prison sentence of up to three years.
“BVB always takes criminal allegations seriously and uses them as an opportunity to discuss them with its employees while respecting confidentiality obligations,” Dortmund said in a statement. Neither the German Football Association (DFB) nor a representative for the player responded to The Athletic’s request for comment.
Adeyemi is currently part of the German national team squad preparing for Monday night’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Slovakia.
Asked about the issue during a press conference on Sunday, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that he had spoken to Adeyemi about the case, that the conversation had “gone well”, but that he would not be commenting further until after the international break.
“The issue is a bit too big before such an important game, for all of us and for German football,” Nagelsmann said in response to questions. “Therefore, I will not comment on any further inquiries — regardless of their nature.”
Adeyemi has been enjoying a good season for Dortmund, for whom he has three goals and five assists in all competitions. The 23-year-old, who joined Dortmund in 2022 from Red Bull Salzburg, is currently in the process of renegotiating a contract that runs until 2027, amid long-term interest from England and Italy.