bundesliga

Union Berlin win Fair Play of the Season Award, presented by Milka

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Your votes mean Union Berlin's unselfish act of halting celebrations to help a fallen photographer has earned them the 2022/23 Fair Play of the Season Award, presented by Milka.

Find out more about the Fair Play of the Season award, presented by Milka

Winner

Union Berlin players

After Sheraldo Becker's deflected strike put the visitors 2-1 up away to Schalke – en route to a 6-1 triumph on Matchday 4 – the players celebrate the goal. However, upon noticing that a pitch-side photographer slips and hurts himself while trying to capture their joy, the players interrupt their celebrations to call for medical help. After receiving some treatment, the photographer makes a full recovery.

Watch: Union Berlin celebrate sealing UEFA Champions League qualification

Other nominees

Matchday 2 | Cologne players

Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe allows a long-distance shot from RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner to squeeze under his body and into the net for the opening goal of a game that eventually ended 2-2. Rather than berate him, however, Schwäbe's teammates rally around him to gee him up.

Watch: The other fair-play moment nominees

Matchday 21 | Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen)

In a moment of frustration at the ball going out of play during Leverkusen's home game against Wolfsburg, Frimpong kicks the ball away. He accidentally hits it into the crowd, striking a young boy in the face. The Dutchman immediately approaches the boy to apologise and after the final whistle – having scored the equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw – he gives the youngster his match-worn shirt to make amends.

Matchday 22 | Christoph Baumgartner (Hoffenheim)

With the ball heading out of play following a Hoffenheim attack, a ball boy jumps the gun slightly and kicks it to Dortmund's Jude Bellingham before it actually crosses the line. Confusion ensues, but Hoffenheim's Christoph Baumgartner steps in following a drop ball to kick it out of play properly, giving Dortmund a throw-in and allowing the game to restart.

Matchday 33 | Keven Schlotterbeck (Bochum)

Bochum defender Keven Schlotterbeck scores a 94th-minute equaliser away to Hertha Berlin on Matchday 33, snatching two points off the Old Lady and confirming their relegation. As the final whistle blows, instead of celebrating a much-needed point with his Bochum teammates, Schlotterbeck first consoles the Hertha players.

Watch: Late Schlotterbeck goal relegates Hertha Berlin

Matchday 2 | Karlsruhe fans

At full time following Magdeburg's 3-2 win in Karlsruhe in Bundesliga 2, visiting defender Jamie Lawrence collapses. As the player receives treatment on the pitch, the home fans give their oversized flags to staff and players to provide cover and to give Lawrence some privacy.

2021/22 winner: Vincenzo Grifo

The Freiburg playmaker was the recipient of the inaugural award last year. After going to ground in the Eintracht Frankfurt penalty area on Matchday 4, the Italy international gave the referee a tough decision to make. However, Grifo swiftly made it for him, getting straight to his feet and explaining that there was nothing in Timothy Chandler’s apparent challenge. The referee took heed, and instead awarded a free-kick to Frankfurt. Eintracht went on to win the game, but honesty was the real winner of the day.

Watch: Grifo voted 21/22 Fair Play of the Season Award winner