The Green politician was met with outrage during the European Championships with a post about the skin colour of football players. But with a little distance, she also sees positive aspects.
According to Bundestag Vice President Katrin Göring-Eckardt, her controversial tweet about the skin color of players on the national soccer team has not only sparked outrage, but also an important debate. “At least the excitement after the tweet has put the focus on what it is all about,” the Green Party politician told the German Press Agency. “The crucial questions: How do we live together? Do we accept that we are different? How do we talk about success stories?”
And she added: “Football is, so to speak, the last campfire in this republic, where everyone has a say and talks to each other. We cannot talk enough about this question of togetherness. But I fear that this is still not clear in our society. We are still a long way from the normality of diversity.”
“In hindsight, one is always wiser”
After the German footballers won against Hungary during the European Championship in June, Göring-Eckardt wrote on the platform X: “This team is really great. Just imagine if there were only white German players.” After a storm of indignation, she deleted the post and apologized: “I’m sorry for the way I worded it. It upset me that 21% of Germans would prefer it if there were more ‘whites’ in the national team.”
Looking back, the Green politician said several weeks later: “In hindsight, you’re always wiser. I understood that not everyone saw or wanted to see the direct connection to a survey that found 21 percent of Germans wanted more white football players in the national team. This number really affected me.”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
