DFB is probably considering legal action against FIFA

Dhe DFB does not want to admit defeat in the dispute over the “One Love” armband with FIFA and has its sights set on the next level of escalation. The German Football Association (DFB) is examining legal steps against the world association so that captain Manuel Neuer can play against Japan this Wednesday (2 p.m. in the afternoon). FAZ live ticker for the World Cupin ARD and on MagentaTV) can still wear the controversial captain’s armband.

“FIFA has banned us from using a symbol for diversity and human rights. She linked this to massive threats of sporting sanctions without specifying them,” said DFB spokesman Steffen Simon when asked by SID. According to the “Bild” newspaper, he could DFB before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Accordingly, the possibility of a so-called application for provisional legal protection is being examined at the ad hoc division of the CAS.

Before that, a new dynamic had already emerged. Because first Claudia Neumann flickered colorfully into the living room, then even the sponsors of the protest movement jumped aside. After the World Cup ban on the “One Love” bandage and criticism of the canceled DFB uprising against the FIFA broad resistance had formed against the behavior of the football associations.

As the first major sponsor Rewe ended its cooperation with the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday. “FIFA’s scandalous attitude is absolutely unacceptable to me as the CEO of a diverse company and as a football fan,” said company boss Lionel Souque in a statement from the retail giant: “We stand for diversity – and football is diversity too. We live this attitude and we defend this attitude – even against possible resistance.”

Rewe sees itself forced to “clearly distance itself from the position of FIFA and to waive its advertising rights from the contract with the DFB – especially in the context of the World Cup,” it said.

At the same time, the sporting goods giant adidas, as a FIFA and DFB partner, called for a liberal attitude. “We are convinced that sport must be open to everyone,” adidas spokesman Oliver Brüggen told SID: “We support our players and teams when they work towards positive change. Sport provides a stage for important issues. It is imperative to continue the discussion.”

The debate had previously fueled Claudia Neumann. The ZDF commentator showed with a rainbow shirt plus Bind that backbone that critics had previously missed in the DFB and its allies. “I want to set an example for diversity and tolerance,” said Neumann, who bravely sat in the reporter’s gallery in her “diversity” uniform during the game between the USA and Wales (1:1), the SID.

But not only Neumann pushed the discussion. TV stations like Pro7 showed the “One Love” symbol in their program. Other media representatives worldwide joined the protest. The topic was also omnipresent in the newspapers: “Love has lost, hate has won”, wrote the Times, “It is shameful”, judged the Schweizer Blick.

In addition, numerous politicians are putting pressure on them. Left and liberal members of the European Parliament, some of whom spoke with the “One Love” bandage on their arm, spoke of a “World Cup of shame” and called for the resignation of FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. “President Infantino needs to be replaced,” said Dirk Wiese, for example, in his position as SPD parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken finds it “always worrying when we see restrictions on freedom of expression”. Fierce criticism of FIFA also came from Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (“very strange”) and ex-national player Thomas Hitzlsperger (“In the end it’s about Infantino staying in power”) and Christoph Kramer (“FIFA is an amazing club”). In addition to FIFA, fan representatives also worked at the DFB.

Michael Ballack went in the same direction on Tuesday. “What FIFA is doing is incomprehensible and not in the interests of football, society and our values. It’s a farce,” said the former DFB captain on MagentaTV: “But I would have liked the big nations to have more power.”

For national player Leon Goretzka, who spoke to the newspapers of the Funke media group, the FIFA ban is “incomprehensible”. Niclas Füllkrug condemned it in the Augsburger Allgemeine as a “disappointing decision”. Christian Günter from Freiburg stated in the Stuttgarter Zeitung and the Stuttgarter Nachrichten that he, like Faeser, finds it “strange”.