With the World Cup in South Africa over, a controversy still remains, and it involves veiled homophobia. Michael Becker, German football agent for the injured German star player Michael Ballack, in the magazine
Der Spiegel, was quoted as saying, "The new adroit, lighter and elegant style of play that has become a trademark of trainer Joachim Löw's players down to their homosexuality." He also claimed to know who’s gay or
half-gay on the German national team. Ballack’s current team
Bayern Leverkusen responded, "We have absolutely no resentment towards homosexuals." The German Football Federation and head coach Joachim Löw refused to comment.
When I first read the responses to Becker, I was pleasantly surprised reading positive comments about the possibility of professional gay soccer players. However, when I started browsing different websites, I discovered completely different attitudes. It's interesting to see how the different media focus on this sensitive subject!
“Storm over 'bunch of gays' in Germany's World Cup team.” (Guardian – UK)
It seems Becker isn’t too excited at all about the “elegant style” of the team which is “in contrast to the typically more aggressive and offensive German style of past years. They played too delicately to assure themselves a place in the final."
“The Reason why the Mannschaft’s playing style was sexy? They had a couple of gays in the team.” (HLN - Belgium)
Becker says the media is aware of the homosexual players in the German national team. He is threatening to mention names in the future.
“German soccer agent uses anti gay slurs.” (Advocate – USA)
Michael Becker is discriminating by using words such as “bunch of gays” and blaming the homosexual players of the national team’s semi final loss against Spain. The Advocate also reminds an earlier controversy when a “German soccer coach, Rudi Assauer, was roundly condemned in March for saying that there was ‘no place’ for gays in soccer.”
“Gays made Germany play better.” (Voetbalkrant – The Netherlands)
According to Becker the gay players played good and attractive soccer at the World Cup.
“Gays said to be on German World Cup team.” (Outsports – USA)
The comments by Michael Becker have caused a stir because he suggests that there is jealousy toward Ballack by people Becker said were “supposedly mediocre, ugly, untalented, bureaucratic, provincial, unmanly or gay.” Outsports also speculates with the help of Beckers’ quotes who could be gay in the German national team such as Luka Podolski.
“Germany played elegant thanks to gays.” (Sporza – Belgium)
Sporza also speculates who could be gay. They posted a picture of player Philipp Lahm who got married this summer, so Sporza assumes Lahm must be straight.
Pretty fascinating how Beckers’ comments started living different lives on the web! You can find the original article from Der Spiegel
here.
