Lok Leipzig: FIFA boss and DFB speak for racism incident

After the alleged racism incident in the cup game between Lok Leipzig and Schalke 04, the DFB has published a statement by President Bernd Neuendorf. “Racism and discrimination, hatred and exclusion have no place in football. We stand for diversity and respect. And alongside those affected and those who work for our values, “it says.

At the same time, FIFA President Gianni Infantino intervened from a distance and condemned the incident: “I repeat myself and will continue to do so: there is no place in football for racism or any other form of discrimination,” said the world leader. Infantino now expects enlightenment and punishment of the perpetrators from the German Football Association like the German police.

In contrast at the DFB, Hermann Winkler’s reaction, President of the Northeast German Football Association (NOFV), triggered the reaction from Hermann Winkler. After the racism incident, Winkler wanted to wait for the result of the investigation in the case before judging it. “With all the necessity of a rapid processing of this serious topic, it stops with speculations and blame before the game report and the results of the police surveys are not evaluated,” said Winkler of the German Press Agency. The DFB Vice President himself was an eyewitness to the Schalke victory (1-0 after extra time) and said that he “noticed no xenophobic mood”.

The Schalke professional Christopher Antwi-Adjei had identified a racist insult from the stands against him on Sunday afternoon after around a quarter of an hour. Referee Max Burda interrupted the game at 0-0 for a few minutes. According to a note by the stadium spokesman that discriminatory calls should be avoided, the encounter continued. From then on, Antwi-Adjei was whistled by numerous locomotive fans. The 31-year-old filed a complaint that the police started investigations.

“It doesn’t make the skin, not in the world, generally not at all,” said the offensive player, born in Hagen. According to his statement, the “n-word” was called. The term “n-word” today describes a previously used racist name for black people. “Not everyone said it either. For me it was an occasional reputation. I hope the person thinks about these words again,” said Antwi-Adjei.

The fans reacted very differently in another racism incident at the weekend: In the Potsdam Karl-Liebknecht Stadium, a professional from the 1st FC Kaiserslautern was insulted in the cup game at RSV Eintracht Stahnsdorf. The perpetrator was determined by quickly intervening spectators and security services. Both fan camp chanted “Nazis out”.