In the 24th minute of the game, the German Minister of the Interior took the stage. It was still 0-0 at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha when a new photo appeared on Nancy Faeser’s Twitter channel. She wants the world to see how she is watching this World Cup game of the German national team in the stadium: with a “One Love” armband on her arm.
And when you see at that moment that the German Minister of the Interior is standing in the stadium with the armband (and later also sitting right next to FIFA President Gianni Infantino), which the German captain was not allowed to wear there that day, you have to say: at the latest Since the sport-political dispute between the world football association FIFA and the German Football Association (DFB) and its allied associations, which escalated in the first week of the World Cup, left the sport-political level. And could possibly develop into a political dispute.
Not welcome with rainbow in Qatar
Faeser made the first statement on Wednesday morning. She raised the case of a German fan in downtown Doha who had a rainbow-colored armband and sweatband removed. “I’m very disappointed,” she said. “That is not my understanding of the security guarantees that the interior minister gave me.” Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Interior Minister of Qatar, is said to have given her such security guarantees.
When she met him a few weeks ago, she said afterwards that everyone is safe: “No matter where they come from, no matter who they believe in, no matter who they love.” The background: homosexuality is forbidden by law in Qatar.
Not only Nancy Faeser spoke in the city center, but also Bernd Neuendorf, President of the DFB. He echoed FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s words that “everyone” is welcome in Qatar. Referring to several reports that fans wearing rainbow colors were not allowed into the stadium, he said: “This is not a sign of welcome for us.”
World Cup start of the Germans
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The pictures of the defeat against Japan
Later, when Faeser and Neuendorf are already in the stadium, you can see the German team commenting on the debate about the captain’s armband. As the players line up for the mandatory photo before kick-off, they cover their mouths with their hands. They probably want to say that they were banned from speaking by FIFA, which threatened penalties. Shortly thereafter, a photo of the action appears on the DFB team’s Twitter channel – with the caption: “Even without a bandage. Our stance stands.”
It is not yet certain how this debate will continue, but one thing is certain: the cloud that hangs over the German team as a result has become even darker as a result of the 1: 2.
