The DFB's droning silence on Völler and racism

The DFB's droning silence on Völler and racism

Rudi Völler attracts the attention of right-wing populists, the German U17 footballers are exposed to racist attacks. Yet the German Football Association avoids taking a public stance on the issue.

The soccer magazine "11 Freunde" describes it as a "right-wing populist propaganda channel whose program is mainly played by fact twisters", the "taz" writes of a "pseudo news sling", the "Frankfurter Rundschau" even sees a "Fox News clone". In other words, a copy of the US Republicans' in-house broadcaster, which paid almost 800 million US dollars in the spring to avoid a lawsuit for deliberately spreading lies about alleged electoral fraud in the 2020 US presidential election.

We are talking about Nius, a right-wing news portal that boldly calls itself the "voice of the majority" - but primarily attracts attention by hysterically proclaiming to its audience that the end of the world is only a matter of hours away. At least that's how conservative columnist Jan Fleischhauer explained to the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" why his much-heralded late-night show there won't be happening after all: "Most people don't want to be shouted at or shaken awake all the time."

Given this context, it is hardly surprising that an appearance by Rudi Völler in his role as DFB sports director caused a stir at Nius. "He only said harmless Rudi-Völler things", summarized "Der Spiegel", but the portal "immediately used the steep template for a right-wing commentary and was able to rub its hands together". Völler had "done no one a favor", it continued, except for Nius. And his friend Waldemar Hartmann, the interlocutor of Völler's iconic wheat beer tirade in September 2003, whose format "Waldi's Third Half" reached wider attention for the first time.

Völler sat there in his official DFB outfit; the interview was recorded the day after the 3:2 defeat against Turkey. Hartmann, for example, was pleased that captain İlkay Gündoğan was once again wearing a black, red and gold armband, before not wanting to leave out the Hitler reference in view of the word "Spielführer" (captain): "Although you have to be careful these days whether you can still use 'Führer'." Funny, at least Hartmann thought, Völler smiled away the hackneyed allusion. The anthem sing-along discussion, which is usually fueled by conservatives and right-wing extremists, was also not to be missed: Hartmann suggested a "singing lesson", Völler also moderated this idea away. After all.

"We have to think about our country"

What is irritating is that the DFB remained silent about this appearance. Various media inquired in vain with the association, which otherwise likes to proudly present its values. For example, when the right-wing AfD celebrated Völler's return to black, red and gold in the spring, the DFB defended itself: it stands for "diversity, respect and community. And not for exclusion and intolerance". The fact that Völler's appearance now legitimizes the channel that reliably serves AfD narratives? At least it doesn't seem to bother the association enough to make a public statement about it. Especially since the interview was apparently not specifically coordinated with the DFB as usual.

Even more devastating, however, is the silence from the association's Frankfurt headquarters regarding the racist hatred being poured out on a DFB youth team. The U17 men's team reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 2011, and only semi-final opponents Argentina can stop coach Christian Wück's team from reaching the final for the second time since 1985. But instead of talking about their sporting success, Wück had to defend his players against misanthropic hostility.

The official Facebook account of the DFB Juniors, which includes the U19 and U17 national leagues as well as the U19 national teams, posted an ordinary picture of Charles Herrmann, Almugera Kabar, Paris Brunner and Fayssal Harchaoui celebrating after their victory against the USA in the round of 16. Underneath, however, racist and discriminatory comments piled up. "We have to think about our country, about Germany and about society," said Wück in a podcast for "Kicker". And added that he primarily "simply feels sorry for the players because they have to deal with such issues at a young age".

The DFB misses an opportunity

The DFB blocked the comments under the post in question and deleted hate messages. However, the association apparently did not feel compelled to do more than add its own comment under the post. "We are proud of the diversity in our U17s," it said, followed by a reference to the values of tolerance and respect in the statutes: "If you don't share these values, then please unfollow us." Legal action has also been taken. However, the DFB failed to take a public stance, for example in a press release, and the incident is also not mentioned in the news on the association's website.

Perhaps, sadly, this indifference is only logical for an association that once welcomed a Nazi to its World Cup quarters and dismissed criticism of him with the words that they did not want to "reproach him for his fighter pilot activities during the Second World War". In his newsletter "Schicht im Schacht", historian Moritz Hoffmann traces how long "the DFB's slight fear of contact with right-wing individuals and positions" has existed in a text worth reading. For example, he reports on former DFB President Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder, who died in 2015. The long-time CDU politician published in 1988 in a right-wing extremist magazine which, according to Hoffmann, "has the dubious honor of being the first medium produced in the Federal Republic of Germany in which [...] the Holocaust was denied".

Fortunately, the association has long since moved away from such extremes. However, this does little or nothing to change the disappointment caused by the public silence regarding Völler's appearance and the racist attacks on the DFB's young players. The DFB is thus missing an opportunity to take a clear stance. Especially at a time when right-wing populists and enemies of democracy are trying to undo the achievements of liberal societies, and not just in Germany.

Instead, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf recently emphasized that the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia should not be rejected in principle. "We all know that the human rights situation is bleak," said Neuendorf, before qualifying: "Nevertheless, it is right to look at what the bid looks like in concrete terms and are there any concessions on the subject of human rights." As if human rights were negotiable. But it fits in with what Rudi Völler said on his return to an official DFB function: "I understand that you have to set an example from time to time. But now it's about soccer again." If only it were that simple.

1. Despite the right-wing populist platform Nius attacking the German national soccer team and its players, including the DFB Juniors, with racist comments, the German Football Association (DFB) remains silent, choosing not to take a public stance against the hate speech.
2. Rudi Völler, the sports director of the DFB, has attracted the attention of right-wing populists through his public appearances, such as the interview with Waldemar Hartmann on Nius, yet the association fails to address his role in legitimizing such platforms.
3. After the DFB Juniors reached the semi-finals of the U17 World Cup, they were subjected to racist attacks on their official Facebook page, which the association only addressed with a comment and did not take a more active stance, such as issuing a press release or addressing it on their news website.

Source: www.ntv.de