As Germany prepares to host the Euro 2024 from June 14 to July 14, a recent survey has once again brought the issue of increasing racism among German fans to the forefront.
The survey, conducted at the beginning of the month and aired on the German public broadcaster WDR, revealed some fans expressing a desire to see more "white players" in the national team and stating that it was "sad" that the team captain, Ilkay Gündoğan, is of Turkish descent.
Despite repeated instances of hate speech targeting Turkish and black athletes in recent years, racism and discrimination persist in German football.
Let's delve into some of the notable incidents:
Before the 2006 World Cup, the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) campaigned for the removal of black player Patrick Owomoyela from the national team.
During a friendly match between Hertha BSC Berlin and Babelsberg in 2009, Hertha fans racially abused Senegalese player Babacar N'Diaye, leading to a temporary halt in the game and N'Diaye in tears.
In the lead-up to the 2006 World Cup, a racist campaign targeted German-Turkish footballers and during the European Championship match between Germany and Denmark, social media users attacked Mesut Özil, questioning his German identity.
In 2012, Berlin Athletik Klub (BAK 07), a Turkish club in the German 4th division, received a racist and threatening letter, and later that year, during a match against Lok Leipzig, BAK 07 officials and players' parents were physically assaulted by some fans.
Following Germany's victory in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and subsequent elimination in the 2016 European Championship, criticism fell heavily on Turkish-German player Mesut Özil and other African-descent players.
In 2018, after a poor performance at the World Cup in Russia, criticism, bordering on racism, intensified toward the team's migrant players, with Özil facing the brunt of it.
Özil's meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in London in 2018 sparked controversy, leading to public criticism from many Germans, including the president of the German Football Association (DFB), Reinhard Grindel.
Özil announced his retirement from the German national team in July 2018, citing racism and discrimination. He criticized DFB officials for not respecting his Turkish heritage and turning him into a political tool.
After Özil's departure, racism and discrimination continued to plague German football.
Turkish-German player Enver Cenk Şahin was ostracized by his club, Saint Pauli, for expressing support for Türkiye's military operation in Syria in 2019.
In March 2021, English player Jude Bellingham shared racist comments he received on social media, highlighting the ongoing issue.
DFB Sports Court sanctioned Dennis Erdmann in September 2021 for racially offensive remarks while playing for Saarbrucken.
Benjamin Henrichs of RB Leipzig faced racist attacks on social media in 2023 after a match, demonstrating the ongoing challenges faced by players of African descent.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to combat racism and discrimination in German football.