German professional football club VfL Wolfsburg player disciplined player Kevin Behrens after he refused to autograph a gay pride shirt and made comments considered homophobic towards a fan who asked for it.
The player allegedly refused to sign a Wolfsburg shirt with a rainbow logo Pride LGBTQ flag. According to multiple reports, Behrens also allegedly said, “I won't sign a contract with that gay (nonsense).”
Behrens has already apologized for the incident.
“My off-the-cuff comments were absolutely inappropriate. I would like to apologize for this. The matter has been clearly discussed internally and I ask you to understand that I do not wish to comment further,” Behrens said in a statement.
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Earlier this week, VfL Wolfsburg issued a statement addressing these issues.
“During an internal meeting, statements were made that were inconsistent with the position of VfL Wolfsburg. The incident was immediately resolved internally. VfL Wolfsburg emphasizes that it is aware of its social responsibility. The club and its employees champion diversity and tolerance, and core values such as respect, honesty and openness have always been firmly rooted in the club's philosophy,” the statement reads.
Kevin Behrens of Wolfsburg during a pre-season friendly match against Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on August 9, 2024 in Brentford, England. (Jacques Feeney/Burned/Burned via Getty Images)
On its official diversity website, Wolfsburg said it has “regularly set an example of diversity and anti-discrimination for years.”
Multiple reports indicated that Behrens had been suspended from the team. However, there are also multiple reports indicating that he still participates in training sessions with the team.
VfL Wolfsburg did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Behrens joined the team in January after three years at Union Berlin. At the beginning of last season, he was called up to the German national team. His international debut came in October last year, when he appeared as a substitute in a 2-2 draw with the United States.
This season he appeared in three substitute matches for Wolfsburg, spending a total of 42 minutes.
Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold, who has proudly worn the rainbow captain's armband for two seasons in solidarity, condemned Behrens' comments.
“Kevin apologized for something that was definitely not good. Everyone makes mistakes. “One thing is certain: something like this should never happen again, but everyone deserves a second chance,” Arnold told reporters.
Behrens is not the first person accused of homophobia, prompting reaction, sanctions and discipline in the world of football.
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The intersex-inclusive Pride Progress flag next to the Transgender Pride flag on June 10, 2024 in London. (Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images)
In May, the French sports minister called for sanctions against Monaco Football Club after one of its players, Mohamed Camara, observed a Support LGBTQ message on his shirt during the team's last league match.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra called Mohamad Camara's actions “unacceptable” and is demanding “strong sanctions” against both the player and the club.
Camara, who is Muslim, covered her badge with white tape and refused to take a pre-game photo in front of a banner with the same message.
“Homophobia is not an opinion, it is a crime” – Aurore Bergé, French Minister of Equality, wrote on X “And homophobia kills. Mohamed Camara must be severely punished.”
Camara missed the first four matches of this year's Ligue de Football Professionnel season.
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In 2021, all Mexican national team fans were banned from attending the team's World Cup qualifying matches after fans used a Spanish chant containing a word considered a gay slur. The team was forced to play home qualifying games in an empty stadium and pay a fine of $73,000.
Mexican Football Federation president Yon De Luisa acknowledged that the chanting is a long-standing tradition for the team when she addressed the fan ban at a press conference this summer.
Football (Getty Images)
“It has been a debate for us in the Mexican federation for many years,” De Luisa said. “It's not a debate anymore. If it is discrimination, we should avoid it.”
FIFA announced its own disciplinary code to combat offensive chants by spectators in July 2019. Under the code, referees are expected to give spectators one warning when offensive chants are used, but if they are repeated, referees will have to stop the match and players will be suspended. sent to the locker room.
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