The Berlin
Football Association’s judicial review has found two FC Neukölln players guilty
of antisemitic conduct against the Jewish team TuS Makkabi and has issued
suspensions.
The review supported the decision to suspend a
match that took place on 18th October 2015, when it emerged that an
FC Neukölln player was threatening to commit murder by stabbing. The
review noted that the player in question was likely referring to the recent
wave of stabbings against Israeli Jews when he made his threats. The
review also noted that the player was wearing an “I love Palestine” t-shirt
at the time of the incident. He was suspended for
ten matches.
A second member of FC Neukölln has been suspended for twelve
games for punching a member of TuS Makkabi. He advised the review that he
recognises his misconduct and apologises. The review did not consider it
relevant that the same member of the Jewish team also received a headbutt from
another FC Neukölln player.
The review fined FC Neukölln, issued penalty points and ordered
it to cover the costs of the hearing.
This is the second time in recent months TuS Makkabi has
been on the receiving end of antisemitic attacks from opposing teams. They
received antisemitic verbal abuse from a player throughout their game
against BFC Meteor 06 in August. The offending player had a history of
racist conduct and was suspended until 2017.
