Lawyer claims that AZ steward lied about his injuries suffered by Legia Warsaw player

The AZ steward who was allegedly assaulted last October by Legia Warsaw footballer Radovan Pankov lied about the injuries he suffered, according to lawyer Christian Visser. Pankov's lawyer told the police judge on Thursday that the medical documentation shows that the steward was "dishonest."

According to Visser, the security guard concealed the fact that he had an existing injury to an elbow, for which he had already been treated several times in the recent past. Immediately after the incident, it was also determined at the hospital emergency room that there was no head or neck injury. However, the steward later reported this to the police, according to Visser.

The public prosecutor called the criminal lawyer's allegation "two bridges too far." According to him, the AZ medical staff initially assisted the security guard, and they suspected a fracture in the elbow. "He was in pain, and then it would be culpable that he did not immediately say that his elbow was bothering him earlier?" In addition, an immediate investigation into a possible mild concussion was conducted based on complaints from the security guard, the prosecutor said.

The assault of which Pankov (28) is suspected took place after the match between AZ and Legia Warsaw on October 5 at the stadium in Alkmaar. The match in the UEFA Conference League, which finished 1-0 to AZ, was very turbulent. Two Legia Warsaw players, including Pankov, were arrested during disturbances after the game. According to his counsel, he has a different interpretation of events and wants to explain himself.

In connection with this, Visser also requested a witness hearing from the steward in question on Thursday, a request that the police judge granted. The interrogation will occur behind closed doors at the investigating judge in the coming period. The substantive treatment will follow after the football season, when it will be easier for Pankov to come to the Netherlands.

The police judge set the provisional date for the criminal case on June 13. The Public Prosecution Service then plans to charge the footballer with assault. The prosecutor is not pursuing the initial accusation of serious assault, the prosecutor said. According to him, that is not the case. The Public Prosecution Service has not yet made a decision about the prosecution of the second arrested player, the Portuguese Josué Pesqueira.