German professional soccer club VfL Wolfsburg is facing an incident in which Kevin Behrens refused to sign a gay pride shirt and used offensive language towards a fan who requested it. Despite this, he announced that he is still on the team and practicing with his teammates.
A team spokesperson confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that the situation is being addressed internally, but it has not stopped Behrens from participating in training sessions.
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Kevin Behrens running around the pitch before the game. (Soeren Stache/Photo in partnership with Getty Images)
“I can confirm that unfortunately an incident occurred and that discussions took place immediately with Kevin Behrens. He is still taking part in training sessions, but as a club we normally do not comment on the sanctions players receive. As a club, we continue to advocate for diversity and an open society, and respect, tolerance, honesty and openness have always been firmly embedded in our club philosophy.” is written.
Last week, Behrens refused to sign a Wolfsburg shirt emblazoned with the rainbow logo of the LGBTQ pride flag. Behrens also allegedly said, “I’m not signing that gay (bullshit).”
The player later apologized for the incident.
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Participants raise rainbow flags during the Pride Parade on June 1, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)
“My unsolicited comments were completely unacceptable and I would like to apologize for that. Please understand that this matter was clearly discussed internally and I do not wish to comment further,” Behrens said in a statement. I want to,” he said.
Behlen’s teammate and Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold has worn the rainbow captain’s armband for two seasons as a symbol of solidarity.
“Kevin apologized for something that was clearly not okay. We all make mistakes. One thing is clear: something like this should never happen again, but everyone deserves a second chance.” “There is,” Arnold told reporters last week.
The team previously conducted an internal video interview with player Yannick Gerhardt about their “commitment to far-right extremism and discrimination.” In the video, Gerhard said he recognized his position as a “white German man” in a “privileged position.”
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Wolfsburg’s Kevin Behrens during a pre-season friendly against Brentford at the G-Tech Community Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Jack Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
“We know this very well, but especially those who are privileged, they have to stand up against discrimination of any kind,” he said. “In recent years, there have been many positive movements, such as Black Lives Matter, where people of all kinds have been demonstrating. If there is, I’ll be there.” Then it doesn’t matter whether I have privilege or not. ”
Behrens joined the team in January after spending three years at Union Berlin. He was called up to the German national team at the beginning of last season. His international debut came in October last year, when he came on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against the United States.
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