DFB President Neuendorf admits mistakes: “In retrospect, I would have acted differently”

Created: 2022-12-13, 3:26 p.m

By: Antonio Jose Riether

In the extensive press round of the DFB on Tuesday, Bernd Neuendorf addressed the withdrawal of the association in the "One Love" debate and admitted to mistakes.

Frankfurt am Main - In addition to the disappointing sporting performance of the German national team at the World Cup in Qatar, the debate about the "One Love" captain's armband made the headlines.

Twelve days after the departure of the DFB team, the president of the association, Bernd Neuendorf, held an extensive press conference in which he not only presented the new DFB task force.

Error analysis also included self-critical consideration of one's own actions in the "One Love" debate.

DFB President Neuendorf looks back on the "One Love" debate - "We should have sought contact with Infantino"

Like other European national associations, the German Football Association had also announced that it would wear the multicolored captain's armband during the World Cup in Qatar in order to take a stand against discrimination.

During the tournament, the world governing body FIFA banned the action under threat of sporting sanctions.

The initiators of the "One Love" bandage then withdrew, critics then accused them of giving in to FIFA and lacking backbone.

Neuendorf, who, according to his own statement, is “personally very preoccupied” with the topic even beyond his presidency, admitted to clear mistakes during the media round on Tuesday afternoon.

"As European Presidents, we should have sought direct contact with Gianni Infantino, asked FIFA's position and asked for a binding statement," said the 61-year-old.

DFB President Bernd Neuendorf admitted mistakes in the discussion about the "One Love" bandage.

© Ulmer/Beautiful Sports/imago

Neuendorf: DFB did not receive a concrete answer from FIFA - "Were always put off"

This was his "learning effect, my gain in knowledge," said Neuendorf, who once again explained the circumstances to clarify them.

"I've always said we don't want to jeopardize our sporting success.

FIFA said on the English team's first day of play that sanctions could be unlimited.

In hindsight, we would have made the same decision,” said the official.

Since September, FIFA has been written to regularly and asked "whether we can wear the bandage or not".

However, the DFB never received an answer, "we were always put off," says Neuendorf, who comes to the conclusion: "In retrospect, I would have acted differently here".

DFB: Neuendorf explains the decision again - "We didn't want to endanger individual players"

A week and a half after the German team lost the World Cup, Neuendof also expressed doubts about his own decision.

"One wonders if it was the right decision," says the Dürener.

Furthermore, he believes, "you have to make it clear that we also had a sporting mission, and that was to play a successful tournament".

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In addition, they "always said that we don't want to endanger individual players and the team".

At least a yellow card would have been considered as a personal punishment for captain Manuel Neuer, Neuendorf told Sportschau at the boiling point of the

.

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Despite withdrawing, Neuendorf praises positive influences: “It would not have happened like that”

Despite the disappointing tournament and the withdrawal of the sign, which grotesquely would have been covered by Article 4 of the FIFA Statutes (“Any discrimination based on, among other things, religion, gender or sexual orientation shall be rejected.”), Neuendorf praises the positive impact of the European national associations to the world association and ultimately to Qatar.

For example, he referred to FIFA's announcement that it would set up a permanent office for migrant worker affairs in Doha.

He also cited a system for compensation payments to victims and survivors of deceased migrant workers as a positive aspect.

“This would not have happened if we, as European associations, had not campaigned emphatically for this to happen.

You shouldn't forget that with all the things we've experienced around the band."