The DFB Ethics Committee deals with the racist comments of Schalke’s supervisory board chairman Clemens Tönnies. After the mild judgment of the Schalke Ehrenrat the commission is under pressure. She could initiate proceedings at the sports court.
The Ethics Committee of the German Football Association (DFB) will be the first time on Thursday (15.08.2019) deal with the controversial statements of Schalke’s Chairman Clemens Tönnies . Nikolaus Schneider, the chairman of the ethics committee, did not want to say anything in advance about the outcome or possible consequences of the investigation.
Pressure on ethics committee
However, after the lenient verdict of the honorary council of Schalke 04, who had acquitted Tönnies of the charge of racism , the pressure on the association committee has risen. The statement, which the chairman Schneider had announced after the meeting, should have it in the opinion of fan researcher Gunter A. Pilz better in itself. Otherwise, says Pilz, even the upcoming DFB Bundestag will be overshadowed by the Tönnies Causa.
“The meeting of the Honorary Council of the German Football Association is a signaling function,” said Pilz, who used the designation “Honorary Council” for the ethics committee, the Reutlinger General-Anzeiger: “Should the honorary council of the association comment on how the club can we will save the implementation of the human rights charter in the statutes of the DFB at the Bundestag in September. “
What can the ethics committee do?
Although the four-member ethics committee can not impose sanctions, it can initiate investigations and, if there is sufficient suspicion, file an indictment with the ethics chamber of the sports court. The panel, which includes not only Schneider but also attorney Bernd Knobloch, lawyer Anja Martin and fraud investigator Birgit Galley specializing in criminal law, is independent and supervises the Ethics Code of the DFB , in which the Association stands for quality, objectivity, honesty, fairness and integrity confesses. In all cases that damage the integrity and reputation of the association, the Commission shall investigate.
Gauck on Tönnnies: “That sounds too racist to me” Sports show 15.08.2019 02:31 min Available until 15.08.2020 The first
Whether this will happen in the case Tönnies, is currently completely open. Schneider emphasized that first of all “the formal responsibility of the Commission” had to be clarified. Thus, it is also possible that the topic is quickly put to the files.
Mushroom: No procedure would be a “fatal sign”
For sociologist mushroom the attitude of the DFB commission plays crucial function. She should act differently than the Honorary Council of the football Bundesliga Schalke 04. Mushroom spoke in this context of a “fatal sign”. He was shocked, “how the so-called Ehrenrat of the association dealt with Clemens Tönnies, which contradicts all the ideals that this club reclaims in its work.” For Mushroom it is clear: “I can not and may according to statements, as Clemens Tönnies has made, do not go to the agenda.”
DFB presidential candidate Ute Groth hopes for a harsher sanctioning session before the ethics committee meeting. “That’s too little for me with three months of self-imposed time out – there must be a clear signal in terms of racism, otherwise we’ll never get rid of the topic ,” Groth told the German Press Agency.
Criticism came also from the former Federal President Joachim Gauck. He would never “accept what he says because it sounds too racist,” Gauck said on Wednesday in the ARD talk show “Maischberger. “But as long as the man still listens and is available to arguments or even apologizes, I would fight and argue with him.”
Tönnies, chairman of the supervisory board, gave a speech on “Entrepreneurship with responsibility – Paths to the future of food production” at the “Day of Crafts” in Paderborn. Tönnies recommended the financing of power plants in Africa and said: “Then Africans would stop cutting trees and they will stop producing children when it’s dark.”
Tönnies then apologized and announced that he would leave his post for three months. This proposal was met by the Schalker Ehrenrat, Tönnies acquitted of the racism charge.
Schalker Ehrenrat: “reproach of racism unfounded” Morning magazine 07.08.2019 01:52 min Available until 07.08.2020 The first
Support for Tönnies from the league
Most recently Tönnies had received support from prominent representatives of the Bundesliga . Friedhelm Funkel (coach of Fortuna Dusseldorf), Max Eberl (sporting director of Borussia Mönchengladbach), Armin Veh (manager of the 1st FC Cologne) and Simon Rolfes (sports director of Bayer Leverkusen) Tönnies admitted a “serious mistake”, which is fierce criticism but not appropriate after his apology. Tönnies earned a second chance.
Red card from Schalke fans
A large part of the Schalke fans sees it differently: During the cup match at SV Drochtersen / Assel they showed Tönnies symbolically the red card. Actor Peter Lohmeyer has even drawn personal consequences and resigned as a member, because Tönnies in his opinion, the struggle of the Association against racism and discrimination in question.
source: sportschau.de
