Liverpool under-19s walk off pitch after alleged racist abuse

Liverpool Under-19s players walked off the pitch during a match against Eintracht Frankfurt due to alleged racist abuse. Frankfurt's sporting director, Timmo Hardung, claimed the accused player was misheard using the slang term "digga," meaning "bro or dude." Hardung emphasized Frankfurt's commitment to multiculturalism and anti-racism, stating that racism has no place in their team. Hardung confirmed the player's use of the term in a normal game.

Zor

July 21, 2024

Liverpool Under 19s Walk Off Pitch After Alleged Racist Abuse — Visionhaus / Getty Images

Liverpool Under-19s walked off the pitch during a match against Eintracht Frankfurt due to alleged racist abuse. According to Bild, a Frankfurt player used a racist term aimed at an opponent, prompting the Liverpool players to leave the field and refuse to continue. The match, part of a youth tournament in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, was abandoned at 1-1.

Frankfurt’s sporting director, Timmo Hardung, claimed the accused player was misheard, arguing they used the slang term “digga,” meaning bro or dude. Hardung emphasized Frankfurt’s commitment to multiculturalism and anti-racism, stating, “Our entire NLZ is like Eintracht Frankfurt, multicultural and we have clear values that we live by and constantly demand. Racism has no place here, but we still take such an accusation seriously.”

Hardung added, “After consultation, our player confirmed that he had used the word ‘digga’, which is common in youth slang, in the course of a normal game. We have no doubt that this statement is correct. We can rule out racism, it is a linguistic issue and we therefore hope that we have also cleared up the misunderstanding with the players concerned and those responsible at Liverpool FC.”