German soccer was engulfed in controversy on Tuesday over remarks by the agent of a top soccer player, who allegedly referred to a “bunch of gays” in the national team.
Michael Becker, who has been the agent of German national soccer captain Michael Ballack for more than a decade, is reported to have made the comment in the latest edition of the news magazine Der Spiegel.
In an essay entitled “New German Men,” Aleksander Osang recounts an interview he had with Becker prior to the World Cup in which the agent allegedly told him which of the players in the team were gay. He later said a former national player was ready to reveal the “bunch of gays” in the German team, according to Osang. Asked about the sexuality of one of the newer players, Becker, who is a lawyer by profession, referred to him as being “half gay.”
LIGHT, ELEGANT STYLE
Osang went on to say that Becker put the new adroit, lighter and elegant style of play that has become a trademark of trainer Joachim Loew’s players down to their homosexuality, in contrast to the typically more aggressive and offensive German style of past years, but suggested they played too delicately to assure themselves a place in the final.
According to Der Spiegel, when Becker made his remarks about the “bunch of gays” he expected the ears of fellow journalists present to “prick up,” “But they only nodded placidly,” Osang said. “All sports journalists seemed to already know the alleged homosexual conspiracies enveloping Low’s team. The rumors accompanied our team to South Africa and evidently belong to the team.”
Ballack, who was injured just before the World Cup, spent the tournament watching his team from the VIP stands. Philipp Lahm filled in as temporary captain.
NO STOOPING
Becker’s remarks have attracted sharp reactions from the soccer world. A spokesman for Bayer Leverkusen, the club where Ballack began his career and to which he will return after his departure from London’s Chelsea soccer club, said it was shocked by the remarks.
“We have absolutely no resentment towards homosexuals,” it said in a statement.
The German Football Federation, which is the sporting association with the largest membership in the world, refused to comment, while Loew said he “would not stoop so low” as to react.
However, the comments have raised concerns that homosexuality remains one of the major taboos in the soccer world.
Becker has neither denied nor confirmed that he made the comments, but has since said he was “misunderstood” and that the interview was not “authorized,” a common journalistic practice in Germany whereby the interviewee has the right to change his remarks after the interview.
Osang said he stood by his article.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care