Oliver Kahn and the golf balls: From the bloody Freiburg scandal to the single handicap

There are moments in the history of the Bundesliga that make sport a minor matter. One such event occurs regularly and is firmly anchored in fans' memories: April 12, 2000, when the Bayern keeper was the target of a dangerous attack in Breisgau, now known as the Oliver Kahn golf balls incident. But the story has an ironic twist: The man who was injured by a golf ball at the time is now a passionate single-handicapper himself.

A heated atmosphere: the story behind the Kahn golf ball scandal

It was a typical April evening at Freiburg's Dreisamstadion. In sporting terms, the match was a thriller: an early red card against Sammy Kuffour and a late penalty by Mehmet Scholl in the 87th minute had massively inflamed the atmosphere. Freiburg felt disadvantaged and, according to Andreas Zeyer, a Freiburg midfielder at the time, emotions in the stands literally boiled over. What followed in the final minute, however, was to go far beyond sporting matters.

Golf balls: everything about weight, size, diameter and dimples at a glance.

90. Minute: The moment the golf ball hit Oliver Kahn

Shortly before the final whistle, Kahn suddenly collapsed in the five-meter area. It was only when he got up that the extent of it became apparent: blood was running down the goalkeeper's face. Kahn searched for the cause on the pitch and presented the referee with the evidence: a golf ball.

This hard plastic projectile had hit him on the temple. Ottmar Hitzfeld's medical assessment underlined the seriousness of the situation: "If he had only been hit a little deeper, he could now be blind."

Oliver Kahn: Golf ball throw from Freiburg in the video

Kahn golf balls Freiburg: When the titan becomes a volcano

Images of the raging goalkeeper went around the world under the catchphrase"Kahn golf balls Freiburg". The otherwise so controlled "Titan", who often stoically endured hostility from spectators, turned into a "volcano", insulted fans and got into a fierce exchange of blows with opponent Andreas Zeyer. The wound later required two stitches, but Kahn played the game to the end - typical of him.

Irony of fate: the golfer Oliver Kahn

Looking back, the golf balls incident involving Kahn in Freiburg seems particularly curious when you consider Kahn's private passion. He was already infected with the "golf virus" during his active career. What began in 1997 through Sepp Maier developed into a real passion.

Kahn, who today has a considerable single handicap (at times even approaching 5), later admitted in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung that he was actually "predestined" for golf. Above all, he admires the mental strength of legends like Tiger Woods. Woods' precision and power even served Kahn as inspiration for his own performances on the soccer pitch.

"There's nothing better than standing in the woods, alone, in peace, and hitting balls. It's the pure antithesis of the soccer business. You cleanse yourself internally through this game." - Oliver Kahn (Source: SZ)

Who was the thrower? The consequences of Kahn's golf ball injury in Freiburg

The scandal was dealt with quickly. A 16-year-old schoolboy was identified as the perpetrator.

• Legal repercussions: 30 hours of community service for negligent bodily harm.
• Financial consequences: The DFB fined SC Freiburg 38,000 euros.

Despite the shock, the Freiburg fan community reacted with greatness. At the following home game, posters with the words "Sorry Olli" were emblazoned on the fences. Kahn himself later took it with humor: before a game in Dortmund, he dryly asked how many golfers were among the spectators.

Conclusion: A "thick skull" on and off the green

The incident shows just how dangerous golf balls can be as projectiles. For Oliver Kahn, it remained a bloody anecdote on his way to the championship in 2000. The fact that he passionately picks up a club himself today and even analyzes his swing on video in the cellar shows that he has lost his respect for the little white ball: He has never lost his respect for the little white ball - even if the encounter in the stadium back then was extremely painful.