Wednesday June 23, 2021
After the racism scandal about Aogo
Jens Lehmann is purified
Several weeks after he denigrated the former national player Dennis Aogo because of his skin color, ex-keeper Jens Lehmann speaks out again in public: He has now dealt intensively with racism – his teammates never felt discriminated by him.
Ex-national goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has dealt with his behavior in recent weeks after the uproar over his racist WhatsApp message to Dennis Aogo and learned a lot about discrimination. The former football professional said that in an interview with the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”. “I have to admit, I have never dealt with the subject in such depth before. With discrimination. With systemic racism and colonialism.” He wondered how often he could have said things with which he could inadvertently have hit other groups? “In London, at Arsenal FC, I was sometimes the only white player on the team. If I were a racist, it wouldn’t have worked,” said Lehmann.
As a footballer, you live inclusion, respect and tolerance. He then had conversations with many black players from back then. “Was there something? A gesture? A stupid saying? Everyone has confirmed to me that that was never the case. Rather the opposite, respect and support. That’s why I’m fine,” said Lehmann, who once again spoke out for his mistake excused. “I can understand anyone who has found the word disrespectful.”
In May, Lehmann had referred to the TV expert and former professional Aogo in a WhatsApp message as “quota blacks”. He apologized to Aogo, who accepted the apology. “And I was also concerned with the question: How do I come to use the term ‘quota black’? I can’t get a new word at ten o’clock at night,” said Lehmann. For example, last year, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, “Companies like Adidas, Nike and Levi’s wanted to increase the black quota in their workforce in America and communicated this exactly – without outcry in the media for the choice of words, but with praise due to the project “.
After his statement, many of his business partners broke up with him “within hours”: “The Laureus Foundation from Daimler. Charity organizer. But I am doing everything I can to win back the trust of the partners.” Contrary to reports to the contrary, Lehmann only received the news that he is no longer a member of the supervisory board of Bundesliga club Hertha BSC “these days”, “seven weeks later”. He had received a list “on which my name was no longer on,” said Lehmann
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