Friday 29 October 2021
Partial exclusion and banners
Union Berlin punished for anti-Semitism scandal
At the end of September there was an anti-Semitism scandal at the game between Union Berlin and Maccabi Haifa and thus at the first appearance of an Israeli professional soccer team in the historically burdened Berlin Olympic Stadium. UEFA is now responding with a penalty for the Bundesliga club.
After the anti-Semitism scandal in the game against Maccabi Haifa in the UEFA Conference League, UEFA has partially excluded 1. FC Union Berlin. In addition, the club must display an anti-racism banner in the blocked blocks of the Olympic Stadium. During the game against Feyenoord Rotterdam next Thursday, the Bundesliga club will not be allowed to occupy blocks 13 and 14 with fans and will have to place a UEFA banner with the words “#NoToRacism” instead.
At the end of September there were insults and attacks against supporters of the Israeli soccer champions Maccabi Haifa in a fan block in the Olympic Stadium. The state security of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office started investigations against several people, among other things on suspicion of sedition. The incidents first became public through reports from the Young Forum of the German-Israeli Society.
Union Berlin had distanced itself from the incidents and identified a perpetrator. “There is no tolerance whatsoever for discrimination at 1. FC Union Berlin,” Union President Dirk Zingler was quoted as saying. “We have therefore initiated all measures available to us to remove this person from our ranks. We have also transmitted all information available to us to the investigating State Criminal Police Office.”
The identified perpetrator was banned from entering the house for an unlimited period as well as being banned from entering all of the association’s events. Union also applied to the German Football Association for a nationwide stadium ban.
Maccabi Haifa’s guest appearance was the first appearance by an Israeli team in the Olympic Stadium built for the 1936 Olympic Games. For European games, Union Berlin has to move from the Alte Försterei to the home of local rivals Hertha BSC due to the UEFA spectator regulations.