A former player of the Starbulls Rosenheim: Mike Glemser © Social Media

Legal dispute over paralyzed ice hockey player continues

An agreement has failed in the legal dispute involving the paraplegic former ice hockey player Mike Glemser. At a conciliation hearing before the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district court in the presence of the former Starbulls Rosenheim player, no agreement was reached.

30 January 2025

From: dpa

The court has scheduled a hearing in the legal dispute (21 Ca 470/24) with a value in dispute of 822.000 euros. It is not yet known when this will take place. It is likely to take months. "We actually wanted to negotiate with the liability insurance company out of court," said Glemser's lawyer Oliver Negele, who did not want to comment further after the hearing. "Even if I were to settle in some way, my client would face recourse," replied the lawyer for the defendant Jan Niklas Pietsch, Wolfram Cech.

On February 3, 2023, Glemser fell headfirst into the boards in the Oberliga game between his Starbulls Rosenheim and SC Riessersee after a foul by opponent Pietsch. Glemser broke the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae. He was in an artificial coma for ten days and has not been able to move his arms and legs since then.

The case could have a fundamental impact

The paraplegic Glemser, who was present at the appointment with his partner Lara - although not ordered by the court - has had to receive intensive care since then. In the summer of last year, he filed a lawsuit against Pietsch for compensation at the Munich II Regional Court. Pietsch had received a five-minute penalty for the gang check.

“This icing situation occurs ten times per game.” Wolfram Cech, lawyer for the defendant Jan Niklas Pietsch

Glemser's side assumes that Pietsch is liable for damages for the accident at work. This requires intent. "This situation with icing occurs ten times per game. In every ice hockey game, 70 to 100 checks are made. That is a tragedy, and Mr. Pietsch is sorry about that," said Cech, describing Glemser's tragic accident from his perspective.

Like football, ice hockey is a sport with a significant potential for danger. The case is so charged because a possible conviction of Pietsch could have a fundamental impact.

Pietsch wanted to quit ice hockey

Since in Pietsch's case the private liability insurance states that it was an accident at work, the now 33-year-old would have to be liable with his private assets. Pietsch is "not doing well," said his lawyer. A few weeks after the accident involving Glemser, the ice hockey player had a similar incident with an opponent who swallowed his tongue. "Fortunately nothing happened. At the time he seriously considered quitting," Cech continued.