Rainbow bandage and knee

I was really looking forward to the round of 16 against England. We even postponed our snack so that we could watch the game from the beginning! We are all no connoisseurs, but during the European Championship in quite a few of us sisters awakens the soccer enthusiasm and patriotism!

However, I then read that "La Mannschaft" plans to make another sign, this time against racism, in addition to the rainbow armband of the team captain: together with the English they want to kneel down before the start of the game.

As justified as I find both concerns - now it stops with me!

Political statements are forbidden at the Olympic Games, and I think that's absolutely right. In 1936, we had a bad experience in Germany with the intermingling of sport and politics. And now it's supposed to be different with soccer? Excitingly, this question is now being discussed as if it were a right of athletes to express themselves politically in this way. Of course, they have the right to freedom of expression - as private individuals. Whether that includes the right to demonstrate this opinion at a moment when they are standing in front of a paying audience is, in my opinion, highly questionable.

But if our guys really want to promote their views, fine by me. As I said, I share their view that we need to stand up against homophobia and racism. My suggestion, though, would be that instead of kneeling, they forgo some of their sponsorship and use the vacated space on their jerseys for some lettering, like "Respect" or "Tolerance" or something. That would cost them something, of course, but I think THAT would be a strong signal.