BVB register their first binding constitution before the courts

The Ballspiel-Verein ”Borussia 1909“, Dortmund, a member of the West German FA, the German FA and the German Athletics Association, today registered its first club constitution.

The club is committed to the betterment of the people through the playing of football and other physical games. Contained, amongst other things, in the constitution is the following rule:

To miss a competitive game without good reason will incur a 1 Reichsmark fine. Later arrival, again when no good reason provided, incurs 50% of that sum as fine.

Leaving the field without permission of the team leader will incur a 2RM fine. The team leader’s decision is to be respected at all times. Players who choose not to follow his instructions can be excluded by him from games. It is specifically not allowed to smoke during games.

This last point is of particular significance in the light of recent events. The association magazine ”Körper und Geist” [Body and Soul] recently reported that ”We take this opportunity to make grass sport associations aware that they ought to give some time to observing their own referees. Only recently, this correspondent witnessed a competitive fixture where the referee calmly observed proceedings whilst puffing on a cigar. What sort of an impression does this make on players and spectators alike.“