At least he had insight…
Less than 24 hours after his Nazi scandal, Waldhof Mannheim’s stadium announcer Stephan Christen (52) is resigning with immediate effect.
Before the cup game against Nuremberg, Christen had dedicated the team line-up of the hosts to the right-wing extremist Christian Hehl († 53), who died on Sunday.
On Wednesday, the club management met with Christians. He then said in a statement: “I made a mistake during the cup game against 1. FC Nürnberg, which after 29 years as a stadium announcer shouldn’t happen to me. When dedicating the team line-up, I thought of a deceased person who belonged to the right-wing scene. The person and the background were not known to me personally. I have failed to do my due diligence in researching the person’s background. I am sincerely sorry about this.”
And further: “In order to avert damage from SV Waldhof Mannheim, I take sole responsibility and resign of my own free will with immediate effect. I hereby distance myself personally and expressly from all right-wing ideas. This is completely far from me, and anyone who knows me knows that too. It hurts my soul that I’m resigning as stadium announcer after 29 years. I will of course remain loyal to the club.”
