ASK Wilhelmsburg bans politician after alleged racist abuse

The ASK Wilhelmsburg football club has barred Christian Brenner, a Freedom Party state MP and Wilhelmsburg councillor, after he allegedly racially abused the club’s players, ORF reported.

The incident allegedly took place at a pub after a football match. The club said the remarks followed a Serbian song that players had requested and the pub played. “We firmly condemn the statements described. Nobody may be insulted, demeaned or excluded because of their origin, language or religion,” the club said in a statement on social media.

Club managing director Jürgen Pinczker said the club would not repeat the exact wording of the alleged insults. He said the club stood for different values and noted it had players from 15 nationalities. The club said it had issued Brenner a ban from its premises, adding that people in public office should take particular care with their remarks.

Brenner apologised in a written statement, saying he valued the work of ASK Wilhelmsburg and did not want an alcohol-related incident involving others to be played out at the club’s expense. He also said he wanted the club and the players concerned to give a full account of what happened. Brenner said several people had been removed from the pub that night, but he was not among them. He said he was in contact with the club’s board and had offered to meet with it and the players.