“The disgusting DM (editor’s note: private messages) that I read on my account today after the game is unbelievable,” wrote Ittrich on Instagram and shared a screenshot with a message from a Berlin fan: “I will kill you . You are a disgrace for German football.”
Ittrich, a police officer by profession, had shown Hertha striker Florian Niederlechner the red card in the 85th minute for gross foul play (according to video evidence). His comment on the threat: “By the way, the report will follow.”
Ittrich himself reported on dfb.de on Monday that the author of the death threat had since asked him to apologize. He also received numerous emails and messages on social networks in which the insults and threats were clearly criticized and he received support: “That makes me happy and shows me that a clear majority clearly condemns such attacks. In any case, the positive messages I received far outweigh the negative ones.”
The German Football Association (DFB) also strongly condemned the death threat. Lutz Michael Fröhlich, Managing Director of Communications and Sport at DFB Schiri GmbH, emphasized: “Such behavior is outrageous, disturbing and unacceptable. It harms the referees, but also the sport of football as a whole. Some people just seem to have no boundaries or inhibitions.”
It is “incomprehensible and shocking that for some people even such serious attacks do not at least make them pause, let alone rethink things,” said Fröhlich. “Referees are not fair game, neither in professional nor amateur football, neither on the pitch nor off – not even on social networks. They are people, athletes and a natural part of the football family.”
Ittrich said he didn’t want to simply accept such attacks without comment, but rather “make them public in a targeted manner in order to raise awareness of them.” His aim is not “to be at the center of this issue, but rather to encourage everyone to treat each other more respectfully”. Above all, “in the context of anonymity on the Internet, we should be aware of what statements we make,” says Ittrich.
2023-12-18 19:02:00
#2nd #Bundesliga #Death #threat #NiederlechnerRot
