As of 11:31 a.m
Dissatisfaction at the DFB with Vice President Hermann Winkler
Source: pa/dpa/Robert Michael
The resentment in German football is great: The Saxon DFB Vice President Winkler is criticized after his statements about the Ukrainian head of state Selenskyj. The day after, Winkler spoke up with an apology.
Dhe excitement in the industry is great. And above all, many officials are appalled by the contribution. Hermann Winkler, Vice President of the German Football Association (DFB), has triggered criticism and resentment among other football officials with his disrespectful statements about the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj.
“That is not the attitude of the Berlin Football Association. Our values are different,” said the head of the association, Bernd Schultz, on Monday of the German Press Agency. “You don’t attack a personality like a president like that,” said Schultz.
Holger Stahlknecht, President of the Saxony-Anhalt Football Association, expressed his surprise at Winkler’s controversial social media post. “I think that’s clumsy,” said the former interior minister of Saxony-Anhalt. He was fundamentally opposed to “politicizing sport”. For a further opinion, he wanted to speak to Winkler first.
NOFV fears image damage
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Winkler described Selenskyj as a “former Ukrainian actor” and cited his visit to Berlin as the reason for the disruption to tourists. The German Football Association then announced a conversation with Winkler about the post this Monday.
On Monday afternoon, DFB Vice Winkler spoke again – and presented his view. The post was created in a “very emotional situation at the memorial in Treptower Park,” wrote the 60-year-old on Facebook. “I wouldn’t write it like that again. I apologize for this and also for the irritation caused. I resolutely reject putting myself in the “Putin-understander corner.”
He condemns the aggression of Russian President Vladimir Putin, but does not personally agree with everything Zelenskyy does. Winkler spoke to DFB President Bernd Neuendorf about this on Monday.
“Insufferable and insulting”
Neuendorf sharply condemned Winkler’s statements and announced further talks. Neuendorf announced on Monday that he considered Winkler’s actions to be incompatible with the principles of the German Football Association. The DFB President found the statements about Selenskyj unbearable and insulting and made this very clear to Winkler in a conversation, it said. The DFB announced that the case should be discussed further on Wednesday at a conference of regional and state association presidents.
Bernd Schultz, the head of the Berlin association, wants to get an idea of the opinions of other officials in the Northeast German Football Association (NOFV), which Winkler leads as president. As was heard from NOFV circles on Monday, there is fear of damage to the image of the entire football region with its five state associations from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to Saxony.
1000th international against Ukraine
Zelenskyy was in Berlin early Sunday morning and arrived in Germany for the first time since Russia attacked Ukraine. On Sunday afternoon he and his people were awarded the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.
The national team will play their 1000th international match in Bremen on June 12 against the Ukraine. In this context, too, BFV boss Schultz sees Winkler’s statements as difficult. The DFB is calling for donations for the people of Ukraine. In principle, however, Winkler’s political stance is known, added Schultz.
