President Oke Göttlich of the second division football club FC St. Pauli has sharply attacked the world football association FIFA.
The trigger was the ban on the “One Love” armband, which the captains of some Western European teams wanted to wear at the World Cup in Qatar.
“The 2022 World Cup will (…) go down in history as a World Cup of shame,” wrote the president on the club’s website and on social channels.
FIFA is abusing its power, Göttlich said, emphasizing: “This is the final declaration of bankruptcy for a football whose rules are dictated by FIFA in the manner of a squire. Many fans have long since turned away from this football in horror. Sponsors and partners will certainly soon become partners follow.”
“The discussion about the armband already shows how fundamentally wrong the World Football Association’s award of the 2022 World Cup was,” said the 46-year-old club boss.
FC St. Pauli will continue to “stand up and fight for a different, solidary and fair football”, was his announcement.