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Is that "political"? Association issues jersey ban - and now explains explosive reasons

2021-08-04T16:44:13.560Z


A regional league is prohibited from "political" jersey advertising. The rationale raises questions. At the request of Merkur.de, the association explained the explosive decision.


A regional league is prohibited from "political" jersey advertising.

The rationale raises questions.

At the request of Merkur.de, the association explained the explosive decision.

Berlin - The heyday of Tennis Borussia Berlin are long gone.

In the 1970s, the club from the Charlottenburg district had a short interlude in the Bundesliga, meanwhile "TeBe" starts in the fourth-class regional league Northeast.

There is now trouble with the association - shortly after the similar dispute over the rainbow lighting of the Munich EM arena.

Berlin: Tennis Borussia wants to show solidarity with victims of right-wing violence - association refuses

The Berliners, who are actively campaigning against xenophobia due to their Jewish past, wanted to set an example against right-wing violence.

The club planned special jerseys for the league game against FSV Union Fürstenwalde.

The advertising space should be adorned with the lettering of the Cura sacrificial fund.

Cura is part of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation and offers financial support to victims of right-wing extremist, racist and anti-Semitic violence.

The jerseys were already printed - but were not allowed to be worn.

The Northeast German Football Association only rejected the club on the day of the match.

For Tennis Borussia, this step came as a surprise, as the Northeast German Football Association (NOFV) had previously verbally signaled that the application would be granted for at least one game day.

At the request of

Merkur.de

, however, the NOFV made it clear that TeBe "was only informed that an application can be made".

TeBe had also tried to advertise with Cura on a permanent basis, which the association rejected relatively quickly.

On the day of the match, Borussia was only allowed to show solidarity with the victims of right-wing violence in warm-up jerseys.

Before kick-off, the players in the four-division team wore appropriate T-shirts.

We would like to take advantage of the attention given to this tweet and ask for support for @OpferfondsCURA.

Our players wear these shirts when they warm up.

We will raffle them after the game among everyone who donates to the fund.

More: https://t.co/m4sWJUREot#saytheirnames pic.twitter.com/D9QwTBNXZU

- Tennis Borussia (@TennisBorussia) July 27, 2021

Berlin: Association rejects jersey application - "are concerned that a certain group of people might feel provoked"

A few days after the game, which TeBe won 3-1 by the way, the subject is still explosive.

This is due to the somewhat strange-looking reason for rejection that the Northeast German Football Association addressed to the Berliners.

After the NOFV had allowed itself three days to explain the reasons for the ban, it wrote on July 30th: "Political statements of any kind on the playing attire (...) are not allowed."

The NOFV referred to its statutes and at the same time made it clear to stand “for diversity and tolerance” and to “resolutely oppose racist, constitutional and xenophobic endeavors as well as other discriminatory and inhuman behavior”. The association's statement did not end there.

At Tennis Borussia, the following statement in particular was astonishing: The NOFV was “concerned that a certain group of people might feel provoked by the advertising.” The NOFV did not initially explain which group was actually meant by this, but wrote on request von

Merkur.de

: “Any statements and any positioning can cause displeasure or disagreement with other people or be interpreted as a provocation. People can feel provoked, who feel attacked or ignored / ignored because they experienced 'left violence' and also deserve the attention. "

The association also declares that the application was rejected because of the statement “Victims Fund for Right-Wing Violence” and justifies this “with reference to exclusively right-wing violence, because there is also violence from the left and other forms of aggression and discrimination.” The NOFV emphasizes: "It's all about compliance with the rules of the game."

Criticism of the NOFV: "Stirrup holder right ideology" - Association: "Hard to believe"

In Berlin, however, one would have liked more clarity. When asked by

Merkur.de

, Tobias Schulze, the association's press spokesman, was irritated by the statement that he did not want to provoke “a certain group”. It is clear to him who is meant by this. “On the one hand, I can only imagine one group that feels provoked by financial aid for victims of right-wing extremist violence: right-wing extremists. On the other hand, it would be hard to believe if a sports association actually let such people dictate their decisions. "

Criticism also comes from the active fan scene of Borussia: "By hiding behind an alleged political neutrality requirement, the NOFV makes itself the stirrup holder of right-wing, right-wing populist and right-wing extremist ideology," said the group Bataillon d'Amour on behalf of the fans.

The association twisted perpetrators and victims.

Meanwhile, the association hopes "that the NOFV will correct this statement."

+

Tennis Borussia is currently running on the chest without a sponsor, like here in the league game against the Berliner AK.

The association has not yet found a partner.

© Daniel Lakomski / imago-images

Tennis Borussia Berlin: "Do not understand why the association puts those affected by right-wing violence worse"

However, it is questionable whether this correction will occur. The NOFV explains to our editorial team that it will discuss the subject of advertising in sport “intensively” with its anti-discrimination officer. At the moment, however, the course does not seem to be fully defined.

SV Babelsberg 03 played in 2019 with the jersey sponsor "Seebrücke", an action that campaigns for refugees.

FC Carl Zeiss Jena is currently advertising the vaccination campaign on its jerseys.

Both play like TeBe in the Regionalliga Nordost.

These messages could also be interpreted as political.

The SV Babelsberg advertising was "approved under certain conditions," it says.

TeBe is nevertheless astonished: "Of course, we think these permits are correct, but we don't understand why the association puts those affected by right-wing violence in a worse position."

"Anyone who feels provoked by advertising for a victim fund has no business being on a football field"

Tennis Borussia and the victim fund Cura can draw a positive conclusion of the action despite the ban.

Sales of the custom-made jerseys have already generated 1,400 euros.

In addition, the stadium host donated part of his home game income.

The association wants to continue its cooperation with Cura.

Currently, ten euros for every jersey ordered in the fan shop go to the victim fund.

The Northeast German Football Association, meanwhile, seems to be leaving the field as a loser.

Critics accuse the NOFV of not delimiting itself clearly enough against the right.

This became clear in 2017, for example, when supporters of Energie Cottbus were punished very mildly despite openly expressed neo-Nazi insults in the direction of Babelsberg 03.

Instead, the NOFV sanctioned the opponent for saying “Nazi pigs out”.

The association defends itself against this image and makes it clear: “We are resolutely opposed to this defamation. We have special problems in East Germany and in the East German clubs that we do not hide, but we are doing a lot in cooperation with the regional associations and clubs to reduce these problems and incidents. ”Football is there for everyone. The active fan scene concludes: "Anyone who feels provoked by advertising for a victim fund has no business being on a football field."

(As)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-08-04

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