Three-time Olympic luge champion Felix Loch asked the German national soccer team to leave the World Cup in Qatar after the discussion about the “One Love” captain’s armband escalated.
“We all love football – but our freedom, democracy and human rights more! Pack it up and come home!” tweeted the 33-year-old.
In another tweet, Loch made it clear that the request in Bavarian idiom was meant quite seriously.
“Yes, I also started in Beijing and Sochi,” Loch wrote: “We athletes would have preferred the Olympics in democratic countries! But the (world) situation has changed from my point of view. We now have to do a lot more than we did before stand up our rights! I learned that this year!”
The world association FIFA wanted to sanction the seven associations involved in the symbolic campaign – if they would send the “One Love” sign into the world.
As a result, all seven declared the waiver, including the German Football Association.