These occurrences highlight the significance of solidarity activities and the fact that football has not yet succeeded in its mission to discriminate against no one.
The president of FIFA Gianni Infantino has strongly denounced two cases of racial abuse that tainted recent DFB Pokal German Cup matches terming the practice unacceptable as the German authorities embark on an investigation.
These came in the first round ties against lower division home sides in the former East Germany. An example is that in one occasion, a Schalke midfielder, Christopher Antwi Adjei, was subjected to constant whistling and racist comments when he was playing at Lokomotive Leipzig and the midfielder had to pause the match and file a complaint of the abuse with the officials on the field. In another another Kaiserslautern backup who warms up at RSV Eintracht was attacked racially by the coach in charge of the team. The suspected criminal was spotted by fans and stadium security very fast, causing shouts of ‘Nazis out’ to resound in the stands.
Afterwards, Infantino called out on social media condemning the incidences saying: “Football is not a place of racism or discrimination of any kind.” He made sure that the FIFA Players Voice Panel would also contact the German football Federation (DFB) to make sure that the involved players are assisted and proper measures undertaken.
The president of DFB Bernd Neuendorf also released a statement reinforcing the zero tolerance position and that there were investigations on the involved matches. The current German developments are an immediate follow up to yet another high profile incident of racism in football Bournemouth player Antoine Semenyo complained of racial abuse he endured at Liverpool. Suspect was arrested, bailed with a match ban and the Players Voice Panel will also contact Semenyo regarding it.
The series of episodes highlights a bigger, existential crisis in football as a reminder that racism still exists and needs intervention, solidarity and effective action on any levels of the game.
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