FIFA President Gianni Infantino has denounced alleged incidents of racial abuse during two German Cup fixtures over the weekend, calling them “unacceptable” in a statement issued on Monday.
“I repeat myself and will continue to do so: there is no place for racism in football,” Infantino said.
On Sunday, the German Cup tie between Lokomotive Leipzig and Schalke was halted after winger Christopher Antwi-Adjei reported being racially abused by home fans. A stadium announcement condemned the abuse before play resumed, though Antwi-Adjei was subsequently booed by sections of the crowd. Lokomotive Leipzig later issued an apology.
In a separate match, Kaiserslautern also reported that one of their players was subjected to racist abuse from a supporter at RSV Eintracht.
Infantino pledged that FIFA would “continue to closely monitor these incidents” and work with the German Football Association (DFB) “in the fight against racism.”
The incidents follow another case on Friday, when Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo alleged he was racially abused by a supporter during his side’s Premier League opener at Liverpool. Play was temporarily stopped, and Merseyside Police later arrested a man on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.
Semenyo said the incident would “stay with him forever,” but praised the response of players and officials, noting that “football showed its best side when it mattered most.”
Infantino, who had already condemned the abuse faced by Semenyo, said Monday it was “absolutely unacceptable that racist abuse has occurred at football matches for the second time in recent days.”