Before Olympia in Paris - Against Racism: Mihambo calls for more Civil Courage
Long Jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo calls for more civil courage in the fight against racism. It is important, "Things should be clarified: We have a problem with racism in Germany. That's not new, but now more and more people are expressing their racist thoughts. That should be a wake-up call for all of us that something is wrong here," said Germany's Athletics Star to the German Press Agency.
"Everyone plays a role in racism: as victims, perpetrators or as spectators. But as a society, we are called upon to ensure that there are no spectators and that everyone, whether affected or not, actively sets boundaries for perpetrators," said the 30-year-old. "One definitely has to show more civil courage. It's about values that need to be filled with life."
100-Meter champion targeted after record performance
In athletics, there have recently been racist comments against sprinter Owen Ansah, who was the first German sprinter to go under 9.99 seconds in the 100 meters. The 23-year-old from Hamburger SV was exposed to racist insults afterwards. Ansah said he doesn't pay attention to these comments, but admitted that they would spur him on.
"Owen is doing it right by not letting it get to him, staying optimistic, and focusing on the positive things. But it's also important that we take consequences from cases like this. And if it's legally possible, initiate legal steps. Unfortunately, many statements are moving in a gray area of freedom of expression, and it can be difficult to draw a legal line."
Association takes action
As a consequence of the racist insults against Ansah, the German Athletics Association is cooperating with the Central Office for the Fight against Cybercrime (ZIT) at the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor's Office. The association had also announced that it would consider legal steps.
"It's important that we talk about racism. For years, this topic was not addressed, but now it has gained the presence it needs. And we can feel the consequences of the long silence," said Mihambo.
- Malaika Mihambo, the German Press Agency, and Bavaria's Athletics Star, strongly condemned the rise of racist sentiments in German society, calling for more 'civil courage' in addressing and combating it.
- The German Press Agency reported that Malaika Mihambo, the Long Jump Olympic champion, expressed concerns about increasing instances of racism in Germany, highlighting the role of everyone in society in tackling it.
- In the aftermath of 100-Meter champion Owen Ansah becoming the first German sprinter to run under 9.99 seconds, he was subjected to racist insults, underscoring the persistence of racism in German athletics and society as a whole.
- Malaika Mihambo, representing Germany in Athletics, emphasized the importance of addressing racism in society, expressing her dismay that the issue had been overlooked for years and was now gaining the necessary attention.
- The German Athletics Association and the Central Office for the Fight against Cybercrime collaborated following racist insults against sprinter Owen Ansah, with the association considering legal action to combat such acts, reflecting the collective responsibility of society in combating racism.
