“It’s important all racism is nipped in the bud”

“It is very important that every single person nips racism in the bud. It’s not just an issue of skin colour. It’s also a matter of sexual orientation and religious affiliation. None of that should be an issue at all any more,” said TSG player Kevin Akpoguma, taking a clear stance. Although the 28-year-old, whose father is from Nigeria, has rarely openly encountered racism himself, he is in favour of an open society. “I already have the feeling that things are getting better. No matter your skin colour, religion or who you love: it’s all completely normal – and that’s how we should deal with it. We should give everyone the feeling that they can live freely; that’s how the message spreads.”

Stephan Lerch, the head coach of the TSG Women, said: “It’s about the humanity that we have to show. It’s important to be vigilant and to be there for people if the worst comes to the worst. Whether as a coach or in another role, each of us should be willing to lend an ear and not shy away. We all need to keep an eye out so that it doesn’t happen. It’s about being human.”

David Limberger emphasised the importance of these values within the academy: “We take a very trusting and preventative approach to the topic of racism at our TSG Academy. This is precisely why we hold regular workshops and are in communication with other institutions in order to benefit from each other. We will also take further steps in this direction. Even though we have fortunately not had any incidents of this kind in terms of racism, it’s always important to be vigilant.”

Further info on the Week for Democracy and Tolerance

The focus of the Week for Democracy and Tolerance in Sinsheim is on racism. The theme week offers various event formats for different target groups, which you can find in the flyer. Various institutions and stakeholders are involved in the preparation and organisation. The Federation of German Trade Unions and the Municipal Department for Children and Youth have been organising this project week in Sinsheim since 2016. The permanent cooperation partners include the Hoffenheim Fan Project, the Kommunales Kino Cinema Paradiso e.V., the Alliance for Tolerance, the TSG Hoffenheim fan support team, the Old Synagogue Steinsfurt Association and the Doll Book Store.