Game abandoned in league three
Fan admits insults – but claims to have meant other players
Victim of racist insults: After the insults, Aaron Opoku is accompanied to the cabin by Lukas Gugganig.
© Christof Koepsel / Getty Images
Because of a racist insult, the third division game between MSV Duisburg and VfL Osnabrück was canceled. According to a media report, a fan now admitted the insult, but claims to have meant another player.
It is a novelty in German and European professional football: The third division match between MSV Duisburg and VfL Osnabrück was canceled on Sunday after a racist insult in the first half (read here why it was finally time for this reaction). While taking a corner ball, Osnabrück’s Aaron Opoku was verbally attacked by a spectator, and referee Nicolas Winter broke off the game. The perpetrator was handed over to the security forces by the fans. The supporters showed solidarity with the player by shouting “Nazis out”. “I thought it was great and outstanding from both fan camps what they shouted and how they showed solidarity,” said sports director Amir Shapourzadeh in a video interview with the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” on Monday. According to “Bild”, the 55-year-old perpetrator confessed to the police that he had insulted a player with the words “You monkey can’t shoot corners anyway”. However, the man told the police that his words were not addressed to Opoku, but to Osnabrück’s Florian Kleinhansl, who was at the corner flag at the time.
It is currently unclear whether there were also monkey sounds. A police spokeswoman told the “Bild” that the investigation would continue. In an interview with “Magenta Sport”, referee Winter stated that both Opoku and linesman Florian Schneider had heard monkey sounds. Winter reported to “Magenta Sport” that Opoku was so shocked that he was no longer receptive. Instead of the stadium announcement, the first stage of the DFB’s three-stage plan against racism in stadiums, they went straight to the second stage and chose the path to the catacombs to “take care of the player”. After 30 minutes in the catacombs, the game was finally aborted.
Duisburg and Osnabrück are in favor of repetition
It is still unclear whether and how the game will be rated. The DFB sports court will deal with the case. On Monday, MSV Duisburg and VfL Osnabrück spoke out in a joint press release in favor of a replay, but they do not want to anticipate a judgment by the DFB. “However, we are convinced that in the spirit of working for tolerance and humanity, it is necessary to bring about a sporting decision on the green turf and, in the context of a possible replay, together with the DFB, the clubs and the fans, another sign of solidarity and against To put racism “, it says in the message.
Sources: Image, Magenta Sport
