DFB Cup: Racism incident in the cup: Schalke's Antwi-Adjei files a complaint

Following the racist incident during the cup match between Lokomotiv Leipzig and FC Schalke 04, Christopher Antwi-Adjei filed a complaint, and the police have begun an investigation, according to a Schalke club statement.

Schalke player Antwi-Adjei reported to the referees about a racist insult directed at him from the stands after about a quarter of an hour on Sunday afternoon. Referee Max Burda suspended the game for a few minutes with the score at 0-0. After a warning from the stadium announcer that discriminatory chants were to be stopped, the match resumed. From then on, Antwi-Adjei was booed by numerous Lok fans every time he touched the ball.

"That doesn't work, not these days, not in general at all. They called me a fucking nigger," said the Hagen-born attacker after the 1-0 hard-fought victory after extra time in Saxony. "Not everyone said it either. For me, it was an isolated shout. I hope the person reconsiders those words." Black players, in particular, are repeatedly victims of racism in football stadiums.

After the Lok spokesman told the TV channel Sky during halftime that the racist insult could not yet be verified, the Northeast Regional League champions apologized on Sunday evening.

"We are not at all proud of the racist insult that Schalke player Christopher Antwi-Adjei suffered from a spectator in the 15th minute," Lok wrote in a statement on the club's website. "Of course, on behalf of the entire 1. FC Lok Leipzig, we formally apologize to Christopher Antwi-Adjei and FC Schalke 04!"

However, Schalke coach Miron Muslic refuted the lone-wolf theory in the press conference. "I have to ask again, because we always downplay it: it was just one person. I think the whole stadium had a feeling why the game was interrupted – and the whole stadium blew its whistle. It wasn't just one person," said the Austrian with Bosnian roots: "But unfortunately, it's so common practice that it's downplayed and then dismissed as 'an idiot.' I don't see it that way, and I want to emphasize that."

Schalke captain Kenan Karaman confirmed that the second-division team would have left the field at the Bruno Plache Stadium if there had been further racist incidents during the match. "If it had continued like this, we wouldn't have continued playing," the Turkish player said.

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