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Racist chants probed

August 19, 2013

The German DFB football federation has begun a probe into racist chants from spectators directed at German Under-21 player Danny da Costa during a second division game in Munich on Sunday.

https://p.dw.com/p/19SQy
München, Allianz Arena, 18.08.2013, 2. Bundesliga - 4.Spieltag - TSV 1860 München - FC Ingolstadt 04 Bild: Ingolstadts Danny da Costa (21) gegen Münchens Bobby Wood (23) # Foto:Sport Moments/Krivec # pixel
Image: picture alliance/Sport Moments/Krivec

The German DFB on Monday condemned racist chants made during a match on Sunday. The host team 1860 Munich issued an apology to FC Ingolstadt's Danny da Costa (right in picture above), who is also a new German Under-21 player.

1860 Munich's sports director, Florian Hinterberger, told the German channel Sky Sport News that the incident was "extremely regrettable."

Stewards had identified one offending spectator, who would be charged. A stadium ban would follow, the club's management said.

Da Costa, who was born in Germany to parents from Congo and Angola said on Monday: " I never thought that sort of thing would happen to me."

'Must stop'

He also received messages of support from fellow players, including Bayern Munich's German international Jerome Boateng: "This rubbish must stop."

Jerome's half-brother Kevin Prince Boateng walked off amid racist abuse in January while playing for AC Milan.

Da Costa's team-mate Ralph Gunesh said: "Racism isn't an opinion, it's a crime."

Game interrupted

During Sunday's Ingolstadt versus 1860 Munich match da Costa informed the referee Florian Meyer, who then interrupted the game for a stadium announcement.

"I told Mr Meyer that I have been terribly abused and that for me it was no longer bearable," da Costa said. After the announcement the situation became "somewhat better," he added.

DFB assistant secretary general Stefan Hans said "without ifs or buts the DFB stands for a clear position that racism, xenophobia and every form of discrimination has no place in football or in any other areas of coexistence."

"Football unites," said Hans. "We should not allow it to divide."

ipj/kms (sid, dpa)