Austrians sing: "Germany to the Germans, foreigners out"
Before the EURO 2020 round of 16 match between Austria and Turkey, there was a scandal. Fans sang racist chants. The usually peaceful song "L'amour toujours" is a song that is commonly played in the Austrian national team's environment.
Austrian football fans caused a scandal before the EURO 2020 round of 16 match against Turkey in Leipzig. During a Swiss television SRF broadcast before the game, fans of the Austrian team in the city were seen singing the slogan "Germans for Germans, foreigners out" to the melody of the song "L'amour toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino. The Leipzig police reported in the evening that they had taken initial suspicions into account and were investigating the matter further.
The racist slogan became known nationwide through a video from the island of Sylt. In it, numerous young people were seen cheering "foreigners out" and "Germans for Germans" to the song by Gigi D'Agostino during a party. This triggered a huge wave of indignation in the country and numerous discussions, which dealt with the question of how widespread racism is in society. Meanwhile, numerous further incidents have come to light. The song is therefore no longer to be played at some folk festivals, and it is not allowed at the EURO 2020 football championship.
The usually peaceful song "L'amour toujours" is a song that is commonly played in the Austrian national team's environment. The association had also filed an application for the song to be played in the stadiums in Germany after victories in the EURO 2020 matches - due to the incidents with the racist chants, the Austrian Football Association (OFB) and the European Football Union (UEFA) distanced themselves from this. The Italian DJ D'Agostino had clarified that it was only about love in his song.
There was still an uproar after the game: Turkish national player Merih Demiral caused a stir with his goal celebration at the 2:1. The 26-year-old formed the so-called Wolfsgruß sign with both hands after his second goal, a hand gesture and symbol of the "Grey Wolves". As "Grey Wolves", the supporters of the right-wing extremist "Ülkücü-Movement" are referred to, which is monitored by the German Constitutional Protection Agency. In Turkey, the ultranationalist MHP is their political representation and coalition partner of the Islamo-conservative AKP of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The racism scandal surrounding the Austrian football fans before the EURO 2020 match against Turkey gained international attention. German politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, condemned the racist chants, highlighting Germany's commitment to combating discrimination. Many Germans expressed their disappointment and frustration, questioning the true representation of Austrian society.
The EURO 2020 organizers, in response to the scandal, decided to ban the song "L'amour toujours" from being played in the stadium during matches involving Austrian teams. This decision was made to prevent any misinterpretation of the lyrics and to ensure a peaceful and inclusive atmosphere at the tournament.
Furthermore, the Austrian Football Federation (OFB) and the German Football Association (DFB) were urged to take stringent actions against any form of racism or discrimination within their sporting communities. This included education programs to promote understanding and respect among players, fans, and officials.
