BERLIN (AP) – The German soccer federation’s executive committee says it’s time to consider boycotting the World Cup following U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions.
Oke Getrich, president of the Bundesliga St. Pauli and one of the 10 vice-presidents of the German federation. Hamburg Morgenpost Newspaper “It’s time to seriously consider and discuss this,” he said in an interview Friday.
President Trump sowed discord in Europe with his policies Takeover bid for Greenland — a semi-autonomous region of NATO member Denmark — and later his threat of imposing tariffs Regarding the eight European countries that opposed the takeover. This has led many of America’s closest allies to Break-up with Washington It could shatter the NATO alliance.
“What was the justification for boycotting the Olympics in the 1980s?” Getrich said. “In my opinion, the potential threat is greater now than it was then. We need to have this discussion.”
The United States will co-host the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. Fans are concerned about Ticket price is highwhile the travel ban imposed by the Trump administration also ban on supporters Some competing countries refused to participate.
Mr. Getrich, who has advocated for values, is likely to push back against calls for a boycott from federation president Bernd Neuendorf and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“Qatar was too political for everyone and now we’re completely apolitical? That’s really, really, really concerning,” Goettrich said of the German federation’s opposition to the last World Cup host.
Germany failed in that tournament, but the coach who took over said it was what he had hoped for. No more political distractions.
“As organizations and as a society, we’re forgetting how to set taboos and boundaries and how to protect our values,” Getrich says. “Taboo is an important part of our stance. Do we cross a taboo when someone threatens us? Do we cross a taboo when someone attacks us? When a person dies? I want to know when Donald Trump reaches a taboo, and I want to hear from Bernd Neuendorf and Gianni Infantino.”
St. Pauli is based in Hamburg. Known for fusing sports and politics Close to the city’s red-light district, especially left-wing positions. The club’s famous pirate skull and crossbones symbol was first put up by squatters who lived nearby, and later popularized by fans who identified as punks.
Goettlich dismissed suggestions that the boycott would harm St. Pauli’s national team players, Australia’s Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalf, and Japan’s Joel Chima Fujita.
“The lives of professional athletes are not worth more than the lives of countless people in different regions who are directly or indirectly attacked and threatened by the World Cup host country,” he said.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
