Overview
- The club announced the Hüpfverbot on Wednesday and the rule is now in force for the Osttribüne; the ban targets choreographed or synchronized jumping and expressly allows normal goal celebrations.
- The measure follows a Gutachten carried out during Ruhrstadion modernization that said coordinated jumping can produce a 'Trampolineffekt' that may make untrained spectators feel unwell even though the tribune's load-bearing capacity was judged sufficient.
- The Bochumer Bauaufsichtsbehörde issued an official Verfügung to implement the restriction and the club and stadium operator published the new rule together.
- VfL Bochum has urged fans to comply and warned that repeated violations could trigger the Bundesliga/DFL three-step plan, a process that can escalate to match suspension or abandonment; the first public test of compliance is the club's home game on Sunday.
- The Hüpfverbot adds to long-running operational quirks at the aging Ruhrstadion — including past match delays when emergency gates were blocked and strict rules for visiting fans — and highlights tensions between preserving fan rituals and enforcing public-safety rules during renovation work.