Olympic Games: Germany youth team walk off after alleged racial abuse

Olympic Games: Germany youth team walk off after alleged racial abuse

 

German team walk off against Honduras after an alleged racial abuse on Jordan Torunarigha. (Photo credit: ESPN)

Germany’s Olympic team walked off the pitch during a friendly game against Honduras after youngster Jordan Torunarigha was allegedly racially abused.

 

The news was confirmed by the Germany team's Twitter account in a tweet that read: "The game has ended 5 minutes early with the score at 1-1. The Germany players left the pitch after Jordan Torunarigha was racially abused."

The Honduras Football Federation published on Twitter: "Game ended in the 87th [minute] due to abandonment because of a German player alleging a racist insult from a Honduras team member.

Regarding this matter, the Honduras Football Federation states that the situation was a misunderstanding on the pitch."

The statement continues: "The Honduras FA reaffirms its faithful commitment to fighting against racial or ethnic discrimination following national and football principles.

Honduras is multi-racial and inclusive national and our Olympic team reflects and celebrates this diversity...

Our national players do not engage or have had any kind of relationship with any practice of racial segregation and are firmly committed to stand in solidarity with movements promoting equality and racial justice as a fundamental principle of our nation."

"If one of our players is racially abused, it's not an option for us to keep playing," Germany coach Stefan Kuntz said. "It was hard to get him in, he was terribly upset because he said he was repeatedly racially abused. For us it's clear, this violates our values, we cannot tolerate it. We'll take our player completely under our protection."

Hertha Berlin football club where Torunarigha plays also added their voice on social media saying: “That’s the correct decision!”