Tuesday, December 21, 2021
After the racism scandal in Duisburg
Ex-DFB star thinks little of abandoned games
Cacau is not only a former national player, but also the former integration officer of the DFB. After the demolition in Duisburg, the 40-year-old praised those involved, but warns against continuing to do so in the future. “In the end we want to see football,” he says.
Ex-national player Cacau praised the quick reaction of everyone involved when the third division game between Duisburg and Osnabrück was canceled after an incident of racism. Nevertheless, in the opinion of the former integration officer of the German Football Association, games should not be stopped immediately after such incidents in the future. “This would offer a single person a platform. You would then determine with your action over a thousand other viewers. In the end we want to see football. We want to stand together for the sport,” said Cacau in an interview with “Spox” and “Goal.” “.
On Sunday it was a special situation, “because the victim was very affected and could not continue playing. For the future, you have to reassess on a case-by-case basis,” said Cacau. He was glad how the referee dealt with the players and how the fans and clubs reacted to the situation. “I thought it was good that the referee acted in the interests of the victim. That is, if the player feels so bad that he can no longer play, then the referee’s reaction was correct,” said the native Brazilian.
Hartwig is fed up
The Osnabrück player Aaron Opoku was racially insulted by a Duisburg spectator on Sunday. As the first game in one of the three German professional football leagues, the duel between the two traditional clubs was then interrupted and then canceled. The two clubs spoke out in favor of rescheduling the game on Monday. A decision by the German Football Association is still pending.
The decision to cancel the game after the alleged insult to Opoku otherwise met with great approval. “By doing something like that, you show that it is no longer possible with us. We are fed up with you idiots,” said DFB ambassador and former national player Jimmy Hartwig on NDR television.
There were similar reactions as von Hartwig from politics. The new integration commissioner of the federal government, Reem Alabali-Radovan, spoke of a “consistently correct decision”. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst was no less clear: “When people are injured in their dignity, you can’t just whistle again. Aaron Opoku has our full solidarity.”