Mainz has released a recent conversation that the club had with a supporter who cancelled his membership owing to the involvement of black players in the squad.
“I’ve been unable to connect with this team for many months! Since then, I’ve had the feeling that I’m in the Africa Cup, rather than in the German Bundesliga. I know what’s going to happen, so no – I’m not racist in some way. I’m sorry for that. Still, enough is enough,” Mainz quoted the fan as saying.
“When the starting line-up over the past few weeks includes 9(!!!) black players and German stars are granted fewer and less of their own opportunities, then this is no longer the team that has been similar to and near to my heart for all these years.”
Mainz had an intelligent reply for this racist fan. The reply read: “While we usually regret hearing of anyone wishing to cancel their membership and fight passionately for each of our members, we can’t start expressing any regret in this instance.
“Yes, you’re right: you can’t identify with our club. Skin color or any other features just don’t play a role for us. All that matters to us is that somebody is human and they share our values.
“Our position is clearly set out in our statutes and in our mission statement, developed in partnership with our fans and members.
“Racism is born when racist thoughts spread, not just when someone calls himself a racist – something that rarely happens,” the club went on to remark about the plague of racism. “These are the kinds of people we welcome in our society. In spite of this, we accept your cancelation because the motives you have obviously show that you do not respect the principles on which our club is formed.”
