Six months after moving to Liverpool FC, Rafaela Borggräfe is returning to the Bundesliga – to Bayer Leverkusen. Most recently she was banned because of a racist statement.
Bundesliga team Bayer Leverkusen has taken national goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe from Liverpool on loan until the end of the season. The 25-year-old was banned for six games by the English Football Association because of a discriminatory statement made towards a teammate. It was about an “unspecified racist statement about skin colors,” as was known from England at the time.
But this has no further consequences for the German selection player. “We worked through the incident in detail with Rafaela and she gave us her perspective in a credible manner. This clarified the issue for us,” said Thomas Eichin, Director of Licensing, who is also responsible for the Bayer 04 Women.
“I’m sorry”
“I have accepted the sports law procedure and have dealt intensively with the incident,” Borggräfe was quoted as saying in a Bayer statement. “I am aware that words can hurt and bring responsibility.” It was never her intention to hurt or exclude other people.
“I’m sorry. I will learn from this situation and take responsibility,” assured Borggräfe. Also for the German football-Federation, the topic is over. “After the sports law process has been completed and our internal processing has taken place, Rafaela Borggräfe remains part of the expanded pool of the national team,” said the DFB.
Borggräfe played for SC Freiburg before her time in England and for a year at FC Aarau in Switzerland. She became European champion with the DFB U17 in 2017.
Our sources:
- sports information service sid and dpa
Broadcast: WDR.de“Leverkusen lends goalkeeper Borggräfe”, 02/03/202612.45 p.m
