The Fraport Skyliners have filed a complaint against unknown persons for racist remarks (“monkey noises”) against their player Ife Ajayi, who was born in Nigeria, and possibly other Frankfurt players. Several independent witness statements had previously been brought to the club, according to a press release from Frankfurt on Wednesday.
According to the basketball second division club, the incidents concern the first play-off semi-final game in Trier and the second meeting last Sunday in Frankfurt. Several hundred Trier supporters accompanied their team to the ball sports hall in Frankfurt.
“We strongly condemn racist statements. When it comes to insults against players, boundaries are crossed, and when it comes to racist insults, at least two boundaries are crossed. I’m horrified that something like this has to be an issue in a family, fair basketball environment and distracts from the sporting events. We reported the incidents using clear statements in order to set an example and also to strengthen our player Ife Ajayi’s back against these deeply hurtful insults,” said Skyliners managing director Yannick Binas on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, there is little chance of filtering out the – hopefully only a few – idiots who make such statements from an anonymous crowd. “But we appeal to all sensible people to be courageous and make it clear that something like this has no place – neither in our basketball halls nor anywhere else.”
Due to the events at the first game in Trier, the Second Basketball Bundesliga GmbH has already imposed a fine on the Gladiators due to some racially offensive comments. Such incidents are “very atypical. This doesn’t represent the audience we know. We have many families with children in the hall. We do not tolerate such behavior and do not want it. Basketball is very multicultural and integrating,” said Svenja Bahlke, the league’s game director, to the FAZ. She announced that she would “very closely monitor” the behavior of spectators in the halls.
In the event of a repeat offense, the fines would increase. She did not provide any information about the amount of the fine imposed. So far this season, three fines have been handed out across the league for offensive and racially offensive comments. “We had never had it like that before,” said Svenja Bahlke.
