Waldhof stadium announcer resigns after dedication to neo

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The stadium announcer caused a stir at the cup game in Mannheim

Photo: IMAGO/Sportfoto Zink / Wolfgang Zink / IMAGO/Zink

Stadium spokesman Stephan Christen resigned from his post at third division soccer team SV Waldhof Mannheim after the incidents on Tuesday evening.

"I made a mistake in the cup game against 1. FC Nürnberg that I shouldn't have allowed to happen after 29 years as a stadium announcer," he said.

Christen dedicated the schedule for the game against 1. FC Nürnberg to two people who died, one of whom is said to have been heavily involved in the NPD and active in the neo-Nazi scene for a long time.

"When dedicating the team line-up, I thought of a deceased person who belonged to the right-wing scene," Christians was quoted as saying in a club statement on Wednesday afternoon.

"The person and the background were not known to me personally."

"It hurts my soul"

“I failed to do my due diligence in researching the person's background.

I am sincerely sorry for this.

In order to avert damage from SV Waldhof Mannheim, I take sole responsibility and resign of my own free will with immediate effect," wrote the spokesman.

Both the association and Christians explicitly distanced themselves from right-wing extremist ideas.

»This is completely foreign to me, and anyone who knows me knows that too.

It hurts my heart that I'm resigning as stadium announcer after 29 years," added the spokesman.

Mannheim lost the second round game in the DFB Cup 0-1 against second division club 1. FC Nürnberg.

aha/dpa