German soccer club Babelsberg 03 are mixing sport with politics again.
The fourth-tier club are forgoing a main jersey sponsor for the coming season to carry the logo of Seebruecke (Seabridge), a group campaigning for safe routes for refugees to reach Europe.
Babelsberg, who previously gained attention for their refugee-friendly stance and an ongoing campaign against Nazis, are to donate 5 euros (US$5.55) from every jersey sold to the organization.
Photo: AP
“The club wants to support Seebruecke’s political engagement for the right to flee and against the criminalization of civilian sea rescues,” the club said on their Web site.
“With this step, Babelsberg 03 commits itself to the basic principals of humanity and a solidarity-based welcome culture, and sends a signal against the deter-and-repel politics of the European Union,” they added.
Main sponsors Oatly, an oat milk manufacturer, and EWP, a local energy company, said they were happy to just support the club and leave the jersey free for another sponsor or political message.
“For us, only Seebruecke came into question. We were always engaged in favor of humanitarian issues, so it was a natural fit,” Babelsberg spokesman Thoralf Hontze said on Thursday.
The first batch of jerseys sold out in 24 hours.
The club are also offering fans a “solidarity membership” with half of the proceeds going to Seebruecke.
Babelsberg are the biggest soccer club in Potsdam. The team on Sunday lost their first game of the season 3-1 in Germany’s northeastern league at rivals Dynamo Berlin, but the club’s sporting achievements have long been eclipsed by their political activity.
In 2014, Babelsberg formed Germany’s first team of refugees, Welcome United 03, who entered the nation’s lowest league the following year, while last year they refused to pay a heavy fine from the Northeast German Soccer Federation after their fans chanted “Nazi pigs out” at Energie Cottbus supporters in response to right-wing chants and Nazi salutes.
Babelsberg eventually paid the fine after a compromise was reached where half went toward their measures against racism and the other half was to be used by the federation for similar measures.
The affair prompted Babelsberg to step up their “Nazis out of the stadiums” campaign, since joined by many other high-profile clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen and St Pauli.
Babelsberg’s next game is at Chemie Leipzig today, when the team are to wear the Seebruecke jerseys for the first time.
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