Clear edge for diversity in society: 1. FC Köln brings out a special jersey. Not everyone likes that – but many fans stick to it.
The 1. FC Köln will appear in a special jersey in the home game on Saturday evening against Hertha BSC. The billy goats presented a diversity jersey on Thursday, on which all design elements shine in rainbow colors, even the FC coat of arms with the goat. Together with supplier Hummel and the jersey sponsors Rewe and DEVK, FC had agreed on this message.
“We are very pleased that we will jointly set a clear sign of diversity in sports and in society,” said FC Managing Director Philipp Türoff at the performance. “We would like to thank you for the many years of support in this topic, for which we cannot get along well in the current time.”
At the press conference before the game against Hertha, Thomas Kessler also expressed this idea. “It’s not about walking a bit colorful through the area,” said Cologne-born and head of the license player department. “Every person who adheres to our values is welcome here. The city always raises the flag and stands for diversity. That is why it is an important matchday for us to draw attention to people beyond the city limits. As a senior employee, I am also proud that the FC is making a sign.”
The diversity jersey is available in a limited number of pieces in all fan shops. In addition to the male professionals in the 2nd Bundesliga, the Bundesliga women of the billy goats will also appear against Eintracht Frankfurt in the diversity jersey in their next home game on April 27 to draw attention to the topic.
However, this campaign did not like everyone on Thursday. Intonentable, numerous users on social networks expressed themselves to the campaign and also spread hate messages, as they can now be found in particular on X (formerly Twitter). But numerous FC fans started the club and defended the campaign.
“And that’s exactly why I love the FC,” wrote “Effecture passion” (@Pinchen1948), for example. “Strong statement. And more important than ever in the snap breathing of different people on different platforms.” Appropriately, the 1st FC Köln announced the previous day to be active on the Bluesky short message service in the future, a portal that developed as a countermovement to X.
However, the FC initially wants to remain active on X. “The 1. FC Köln has been concerned with developments on platform X. Especially in the past few months, around the US election and the Bundestag election, hatred, agitation and false reports have increasingly spread to X without any regulation,” said the club. “The FC has noted this, but at the same time found that the FC family and the environment of the association actively oppose these currents on X and stand up for the values of our association.”
It also said: “The FC does not want to avoid this responsibility through an escape from the platform, but also to stand up for its values in the future and raise the voice against hatred, agitation and any form of extremism.” On Thursday, FC also presented the diversity jersey at X.