Sport civil courage
Against the right – several Bundesliga clubs are calling for people to take part in demos
As of: 5:21 p.m. | Reading time: 4 minutes
Christian Streich, coach of SC Freiburg
Source: dpa/Tom Weller
The big movement against the right is reaching professional football. Christian Streich, coach of SC Freiburg, takes part in a demonstration himself. And gives a clear warning. Anyone who doesn’t get up now hasn’t understood anything.
Christian Streich took to the streets himself. The SC Freiburg coach, who has been finding words of warning about socio-political developments for years, demonstrated this week in his hometown with thousands of others against right-wing extremism.
More clearly than ever before, a number of clubs in the Bundesliga followed suit with the call to stand up for democratic values in the 2024 election year. “If you don’t get up now, you haven’t understood anything. (…) It’s five to twelve,” said Streich on Thursday. “Everyone in this country is called upon to position themselves clearly in their family circles, at work or elsewhere.”
In Leipzig, Streich’s coaching colleague Marco Rose warned: “I believe that it is very important to stand up against stupidity and right-wing extremism in every form. I think it’s good that people are doing that too, that they are clearly showing their colors and taking to the streets.”
People also demonstrated against the right-wing in Berlin. The reason is also the research of the Correctiv
Source: dpa/Carsten Koall
The background to the current discussions about democracy and right-wing extremism is a meeting between right-wing radicals and politicians from the AfD and CDU in a Potsdam villa, which was publicized by the media company Correctiv. Martin Sellner, the former head of the right-wing extremist Identitarian movement in Austria, also spoke there. Ahead of the state elections in September in Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony, the AfD is currently ahead in surveys there, in some cases clearly.
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“Never again is now! Everyone come around,” wrote 1. FSV Mainz 05 about a planned meeting against the right. Second division club FC St. Pauli sent a circular calling on all members to go to the “Hamburg gets up” event on Friday afternoon at the Rathausmarkt. A total of several hundred thousand people follow the clubs – in a composition that could hardly be more heterogeneous.
Philosopher sees threat to democracy
“It has considerable value because right-wing radical circles are also attracted to Bundesliga football,” said sports philosopher Gunter Gebauer about the calls from football. “And if they are confronted with a contrary opinion that is presented firmly and convincingly, it will also impress them.” That would not mean that they will change their opinion, “but it will certainly take away a certain degree of security for them.”
Commitment to football is not entirely new. In addition, “the clubs and teams are willing to participate in a broader and stronger way,” said Gebauer, who sees the reason for this as an increasing threat to democracy. “It certainly is,” he emphasized.
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It is also due to the fact that many foreign professionals are involved in Bundesliga clubs. “They are closing the circle around their foreign players. I think there is also concern for them,” said Gebauer.
When asked, the German Football League (DFL) referred to its statutes, according to which the DFL is “aware of the great social and socio-political importance of football.” Streich emphasized that anyone who remained seated had not understood anything. “No one should whine about being ruled by an authoritarian, right-wing nationalist group.”
Timo Hübers praises the demo in Cologne
On Wednesday, defender Timo Hübers from 1. FC Cologne praised an anti-right demonstration in the Bundesliga club’s city and clearly positioned himself against right-wing ideas. “What was definitely an outstanding action was the action last night at Heumarkt,” said defender Hübers in a video shared by the club from the meeting in Cologne city center.
VfB Stuttgart announced that it stood “for our free-democratic society, for peaceful coexistence and for cosmopolitanism,” completely independent of possible party ban proceedings. Second division club Schalke 04 announced several days of action for diversity and tolerance over the next two weeks in order to send a clear signal against hatred and agitation. “It is very important for us, especially in the current times, to stand up as Schalke,” said CEO Matthias Tillmann.
Hoffenheim coach Pellegrino Matarazzo was more reserved on Thursday. “Perhaps one or the other coach would like to keep the focus on sport,” the American interjected. Personally, he was not yet ready “to open up about all sorts of topics. Maybe there will come a time when I say: Now is the moment when I want to influence society with my opinion.” Streich has been there for “a few more years.”
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