Liverpool U18s Take a Stand Against Racist Abuse in German Tournament

Incidents at Bundesliga Cup Prompt Strong Response

Liverpool’s Under-18s took decisive action at a German youth tournament after one of their players was allegedly subjected to racist abuse on two separate occasions. The team walked off the pitch twice in two days, making a powerful statement against racism.

Support and Calls for Investigation

Academy staff at Liverpool are fully supporting the affected player, urging the organisers of the Bundesliga Cup in Schwäbisch Hall to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents. The first alleged incident occurred during a match against Hoffenheim on Friday, followed by a second during a game with Frankfurt on Saturday.

Disputed Terminology

On Friday, a Liverpool player reported being called the N-word by an opponent from Hoffenheim. However, Hoffenheim later asserted that their player used the German slang term ‘digga’, which translates to ‘bro’. To prevent further misunderstandings, tournament organisers assured Liverpool staff that all teams had been informed that such terms would not be tolerated.

Despite these measures, similar issues arose during Saturday’s match against Frankfurt. The precise term used remains in dispute, with Frankfurt’s sporting director, Timmo Hardung, telling German newspaper Bild, “We can rule out racism,” and suggesting a misunderstanding had occurred, with their player also claiming to have used the term ‘digga’. Hardung added, “It was a language issue and therefore hope to sort out the misunderstanding between the players and with the Liverpool staff.”

Liverpool’s Response

Liverpool released a statement confirming the events: “Liverpool can confirm that a member of our under-18s team reported he was racially abused by an opponent while playing in the Bundesliga Cup youth tournament at Schwäbisch Hall in Germany on Friday. The player immediately alerted the match official, his team-mates, and our coaching staff. Consequently, LFC’s management team decided to stop the game and leave the pitch together. In a further incident, the same player was the target of abuse during a fixture in the tournament today. Again, the player alerted his team-mates and coaching staff and our management team opted to leave the pitch once more.”

The statement continued, “We are proud of our player for his prompt actions in reporting the incident and the maturity of his response. He and any of his team-mates affected are being supported by the academy safeguarding team. The club calls upon our opponents and the tournament organisers to conduct an urgent and thorough investigation into the incident.”

Final Day of the Tournament

The alleged abuse during the second incident was reportedly witnessed by multiple Liverpool players. Despite the troubling events, Liverpool’s Under-18s are set to participate in the final day of the tournament on Sunday, maintaining their commitment to both competition and standing against injustice.

Liverpool’s actions underscore the importance of addressing racism directly and supporting those affected. The club’s decisive response highlights their commitment to fostering a safe and respectful environment for all players, both on and off the pitch.