After the cancellation of the third division game between MSV Duisburg and VfL Osnabrück, the Duisburg public prosecutor’s office dropped the investigation they had initiated on suspicion of insulting a spectator.
A sufficient suspicion could not be justified, said the public prosecutor. The state protection of the Duisburg criminal police had already concluded the investigations into the spectator at the game on December 19 with the information that the allegation of racist insults had not been confirmed.
The accused was suspected of insulting Osnabrück player Aaron Opoku. Referee Nicolas Winter initially interrupted the game and then called it off.
“We take allegations of this kind very seriously. Of course, those involved are emotionally affected, that’s understandable. That’s why we investigated intensively and heard a double-digit number of witnesses and evaluated all optical and acoustic recordings of the game. However, the allegations didn’t work out confirmed,” said public prosecutor Martin Mende.
The facts are that the player Florian Kleinhansl wanted to take a corner for the VfL Osnabrück team and teammate Opoku approached the corner flag. At that moment the exclamation came. The accused could not be proven that he meant the Opoku player. The accused also explained this himself. Kleinhansl, who was obviously actually addressed, did not file a criminal complaint.