Germany Walks off Football Pitch After Jordan Torunarigha Allegedly Racially Abused
July 17, 2021
Germany walked off the pitch five minutes early during Saturday's friendly against Honduras due to allegations of racial abuse by Jordan Torunarigha.
The German national team Twitter account stated the game was called with the score tied 1-1.
Germany @DFB_Team_EN💬 Stefan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kuntz?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kuntz</a>: "When one of our players is racially abused, playing on is not an option."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WirfuerD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WirfuerD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GERHON?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GERHON</a> <a href="https://t.co/nQBfmZf4To">pic.twitter.com/nQBfmZf4To</a>
The Honduras Football Federation's Twitter account (h/t ESPN.com) said the "situation was a misunderstanding on the pitch."
Per the Associated Press, Torunarigha was the subject of racist chants by some Schalke fans during a Germany Cup game with Hertha Berlin in February 2020.
Torunarigha was later sent off in the game for throwing a crate of water to the ground after colliding with the Schalke manager.
"We tried to calm him down, we asked the referee to protect the player and when this foul came you must show sympathy for his situation," then-Hertha manager Jurgen Klinsmann told reporters. "But the opposite was the case."
Hertha Berlin, Torunarigha's club since 2006, offered its support for the German squad and the 23-year-old.
Torunarigha has been part of the German national team since 2012 as a member of the under-16 squad. He will be making his first Olympic appearance with the squad at the Tokyo Games.
The match between Germany and Honduras was going to consist of three 30-minute segments. It was the final tune-up match for both teams before the Olympics.
Germany is scheduled to begin Olympic play on July 22 against Brazil at International Stadium Yokohama.