LEIPZIG, Germany (AP) — Schalke midfielder Christopher Antwi-Adjei was whistled by Lokomotiv Leipzig supporters after he complained that he was subjected to racist abuse during the teams’ German Cup game on Sunday.
“Quite simply, it was racism. I think it has no place on a football field or generally in society,” Antwi-Adjei, who is Black, told Sky TV of the initial abuse. "I don't want to repeat the words that were used, but it's disappointing. I'm not the type to go home and cry, but still it’s disappointing that it happens on the field these days."
Also Sunday, in Potsdam near Berlin, a Kaiserslautern substitute was racially abused by an individual as the unnamed player warmed up at halftime during his team’s cup match at RSV Eintracht Stahnsdorf. Fans and security quickly identified and apprehended the alleged perpetrator.
Antwi-Adjei broke off play in Leipzig when he was subjected to racist abuse while he was taking a throw-in in the 13th minute. He subsequently spoke with a match official on the sideline and then referee Max Burda.
“He told us he was racially abused,” Burda said. “We didn't hear it but of course we take it very seriously and act to protect the player. For incidences of racism there's a three-point plan and we put the first point into action. That's a stadium announcement.”
The stadium announcer asked fans to refrain from using racist or discriminatory language and the game resumed after a break of around three minutes with Antwi-Adjei taking the throw in.
Antwi-Adjei was subsequently whistled whenever he received the ball.
“There are always a few people here in the stadium who think they can get away with anything. They think they know better,” the 31-year-old Antwi-Adjei said. “But yeah, we keep going, we've progressed, and I hope such things don't happen so often in future.”
Schalke won 1-0 with Bryan Lasme scoring the winner in extra time.
“It overshadows the whole game,” Schalke captain Kenan Karaman said. “I signaled straight away to the referee that we wouldn’t continue if it didn’t stop, and luckily the referee reacted. Then the announcement came in the stadium that this kind of thing isn't tolerated and that it has no place in sport. I’m glad that Christopher handled it well and still played a good game.”
Karaman said the team had been prepared to walk off the field.
“Of course. We would have stood behind Christopher and we would have stopped playing,” Karaman said.
In the post-match press conference, Lokomotiv coach Jochen Seitz said the “football festival is tainted by a single shout. That shouldn’t happen. Of course, it’s difficult for a club to take action when there are still 12,000 people there. And when a single idiot shouts something like that, it basically ruins the whole thing."
Seitz was interrupted by his Schalke counterpart Miron Muslić, who countered it wasn't just “a single idiot.”
“I have to speak up because we always downplay individuals," Muslić said. "The whole stadium knew why the game was interrupted, and the whole stadium whistled. It wasn't just an individual.”
Schalke plays in the second division while Lokomotiv is at fourth-tier level after narrowly missing out on promotion last season.
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The Associated Press
