FIFA President Condemns Racism in German Cup Amid Investigations

Zurich, Aug 18 (AP) — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has strongly condemned two alleged racist incidents that darkened the German Cup games, deeming them “unacceptable” as authorities in Germany launch investigations into the matters.

Infantino’s remarks came following the claims by Schalke’s Christopher Antwi-Adjei, who reported facing racial abuse during a match against Lokomotive Leipzig. Antwi-Adjei experienced persistent whistling from the crowd after bringing the issue to the attention of match officials.

In a separate incident, another case of racial abuse was reported during a game at RSV Eintracht, where a Kaiserslautern player warming up on the sidelines was targeted, according to his coach. The coach did not disclose the player’s identity. These confrontations took place as smaller clubs from the former East Germany hosted their larger counterparts in the competition’s opening round.

“The occurrences at the two DFB-Pokal matches in Germany are wholly unacceptable,” Infantino declared via social media, referring to the cup by its German name. “Racism and discrimination have no place in football or society.” He mentioned that FIFA’s Players’ Voice Panel is set to liaise with the German soccer federation regarding the incidents.

“FIFA, alongside the Players' Voice Panel and the broader football community, stands in total solidarity with those affected by these grievous acts. We are dedicated to ensuring the utmost respect and protection for players. We are calling on competition organizers and law enforcement bodies to take decisive measures,” Infantino asserted further.

Schalke has confirmed that Antwi-Adjei has formally lodged a complaint, and authorities are investigating the incident at Lokomotive Leipzig. Meanwhile, at RSV Eintracht, the swift action from fans and security led to the identification of the alleged wrongdoer, prompting chants of “Nazis out” from supporters of both teams, as reported by the German news agency dpa.

These incidents in Germany follow a separate case involving Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who reported being racially abused by a spectator during a match in Liverpool. Following this, authorities paused the game briefly as referees consulted with coaches and team captains.

Liverpool police arrested a 47-year-old man on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense. He remains in custody for questioning. Infantino has stated that FIFA's Players' Voice Panel will also reach out to Semenyo in light of the situation.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)